The Contender: A rescue story Published July 26, 2006 By Senior Airman Heather Kelly 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- With one look she can stop a man dead in his tracks. Her hair, a silky shock of chocolate; her eyes, a misty grey; her golden skin, covered in age spots and patches of whiskers and fur. At first glance, Lucille Bald may not win any beauty pageants, but she has won the hearts of 920th Rescue Wing members and the local community. The Chinese Crested canine recently competed in the World's Ugliest Dog contest, held annually at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, Calif., June 23. Affectionately referred to as "Lucy", Lucille Bald's story is rooted in rescue. After being saved from a puppy mill by Andrea Potts, wife of Senior Master Sgt. Robert Potts, 920th Maintenance Group superintendent, Lucy still bares the marks of her tumultuous past; the number 258 is tattooed in blue-black ink under her hindquarters. "She lived in deplorable conditions," said Mrs. Potts. "The mill was shut down by the police." Now a member of the 920th Rescue Wing's extended family, Lucy joins the ranks of countless other animals saved by unit members. "During Hurricane Katrina , the mood of the country was really negative. I was aware of all the people and animals the 920th was rescuing and began a blog on www.petfinder.com. I wanted to let people know there were people out there helping," recounted Mrs. Potts. The forum generated 5,000 hits in a little less than two weeks, said Sergeant Potts. "I stick behind her and this cause. Rescue is a good thing," he added. A production team with the Animal Planet network recently traveled to Patrick Air Force Base to cover the story. Capt. Mike Brasher, a pilot with the 301st Rescue Squadron, and unit mascot Katrina were on hand to highlight the unit's efforts to save both man and beast during rescue missions. Katrina the rescue beagle was a part of those efforts. Plucked off of the I-10 overpass in New Orleans after helping 920th rescue crews shepherd victims into unit helicopters, the dog was entrusted to an emergency medical technician at a collection point outside the city. After flying around-the-clock missions and rescuing 1,043 people in New Orleans, 920th crews returned home. Captain Brasher and his wife then set out to track the brave beagle down using the petfinder website. After a few weeks, they succeeded. "It was a difficult adjustment for her at first but she's recovered well, and is very much a part of our family," said Captain Brasher, holding the content Katrina in his arms. In a different kind of search, the 18th annual hunt for the world's ugliest dog began in March. A website was created to tally votes online, culminating into a final showdown in front of the judges in June. Before departing for the contest, a send-off party was held for Lucy at Port Canaveral, Fla., where friends, family and well-wishers gathered to cheer Lucy on. "When I first saw her, I thought she was adorable, I didn't think she was ugly at all," said Mrs. Potts. "All the feedback I've gotten from other people though motivated me to enter her into the contest, and it just snowballed," she explained, surrounded by a crowd of supporters. Contest participants traveled from as far away as England to compete against the likes of "Munchkin", "Pee Wee", and "Rascal". Out of 18 contenders, Lucy raked in 1,027 votes online and placed third in the pedigree class at the competition. "She was so happy, she loves people and loved all of the attention," said Mrs. Potts. In the end, the pack was lead by "Archie", another Chinese Crested who took first place in the overall contest. Archie's online tally fell short of Lucy's however, capturing only 210 votes. "It was a once in a lifetime experience," Mrs. Potts said. "Currently Lucille has no plans to compete next year and plans on retirement," she noted. The event is scheduled to air on Animal Planet in October.