Firefighters from Lewiston and Auburn hope to help Debra Ramon open a door, pull a book from a shelf, or pluck the TV remote from the floor.

The two departments have each pledged $500 to help Ramon buy a service dog, which would help the wheelchair-bound Lewiston woman get around the house and the community.

Ramon received the notification from the departments earlier this week.

“It was awesome,” said Ramon, who needs $7,000 for the highly trained dog.

The two departments have challenged the police in their cities to do the same.

Since she began soliciting in March, Ramon has raised about $3,000.

If all goes well, she’ll have the dog in June 2008.

“There is so much training that takes place and there’s so much demand, that’s the soonest it can be done,” she said.

However, Ramon hopes to meet her dog within a couple of weeks.

She is likely to be paired with either a Labrador retriever or a golden retriever.

“They need to be big dogs because they’ll often be reaching up for things,” said Ramon, who has multiple sclerosis.

“I need help with many of the basic things that most people take for granted.”

– Daniel Hartill
Secure

Last week, Sun Journal reporters checked out security at 37 public schools. In some schools, reporters were able to walk in and wander the halls.

In others, we were stopped at the door.

None could compare to the security one reporter found this week at the B Street Community Center’s Head Start preschool.

Visitors had to be buzzed in.

Met at the door.

ID checked.

ID photocopied.

Escorted to the classroom.

No wandering around there.

– Lindsay Tice
Action!

What do high school kids talk about on their way to Fenway Park?

If you’re a Youth Action Team captain at Edward Little, it’s community service and how you could do more to help.

The teens, heading to Boston to meet Red Sox players and see a game, talked about how they want to see youth volunteer programs grow.

“We’re getting it started, hoping that freshmen and sophomores next year will get more involved,” said senior John Alexander, 17

“We’re looking for businesses around town to help out so we can do more stuff.”

They’d like to give away backpacks to needy children at an upcoming baseball clinic.

Action Teams like the one at Edward Little are sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association and Volunteers of America.

National backers want to see the program grow across the country.

Research shows “this generation is clamoring to change the world,” said Greg Bouris, director of communications for the Major League Baseball Players Association. Whether a student is in Maine or Alaska, the goal is to help more students volunteer.

Baseball players want Youth Action Teams to become so well known that “people recognize we’re talking about some pretty special and inspirational people,” Bouris said.

– Bonnie Washuk