Ann Pinnette, of Lewiston, sits in her wheelchair at the bottom of the newly constructed ramp at her home on Tuesday. Pictured with her are students from Lewiston Regional Technical Center who built the ramp. Pinnette, a disable veteran and a retired Air Force air traffic controller, requested a ramp be built at her home — it was turned down by the Veterans Administration due to the high bids by contractors, around $12,000. The VA refusal came to the attention of the technical center and the program decided to do something about Pinnette’s plight. LRTC negotiated with the VA for the cost of the ramp’s materials, and the students donated their labor, bringing the cost of the project to about $4,000. “I am overwhelmed by their generosity, treating me with great respect and dignity. It feels as they are my personal angels ” Pinnette said. “The students worked through snow days and rain, there was no quit in them. I am so proud of them” said LRTC advisor Mario Pascarelli. The students, from left, are Sara Stanley, Eric Frost, Hunter Webber, Jeremy DeGuisto, Jake Guenette, Jessica Denis, Dylan Boisvert and Mason Gates, and advisor Mario Pascarelli. Standing behind Pinnette is Bill Lee.
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- Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Ann Pinnette, of Lewiston, sits in her wheelchair at the bottom of the newly constructed ramp at her home on Tuesday. Pictured with her are students from Lewiston Regional Technical Center who built the ramp. Pinnette, a disable veteran and a retired Air Force air traffic controller, requested a ramp be built at her home — it was turned down by the Veterans Administration due to the high bids by contractors, around $12,000. The VA refusal came to the attention of the technical center and the program decided to do something about Pinnette’s plight. LRTC negotiated with the VA for the cost of the ramp’s materials, and the students donated their labor, bringing the cost of the project to about $4,000. "I am overwhelmed by their generosity, treating me with great respect and dignity. It feels as they are my personal angels " Pinnette said. "The students worked through snow days and rain, there was no quit in them. I am so proud of them" said LRTC advisor Mario Pascarelli. The students, from left, are Sara Stanley, Eric Frost, Hunter Webber, Jeremy DeGuisto, Jake Guenette, Jessica Denis, Dylan Boisvert and Mason Gates, and advisor Mario Pascarelli. Standing behind Pinnette is Bill Lee.
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