Bangor

Dog Days on the way

The City Council has proclaimed Aug. 15-20 Dog Week and Saturday, Aug. 20, as Dog Day. Noting that more than 1,700 dogs are registered in Bangor, the council encourages the responsible care and custody of dogs and recognizes the Bangor Humane Society’s role as guardian of lost and endangered dogs and other animals since 1869.

Dog Day will feature opportunities for socializing, shopping and education. Downtown retailers will hold special sales, retail events and activities from putting out water bowls and dog biscuits to face painting, a dog beauty parlor, specials on hot dog lunches and homemade devil dogs, not to mention dog blessings at Friars’ Bakehouse.

Agencies will offer educational materials, and law enforcement dogs will take part in demonstrations.

Make-A-Wish Walk

It only takes a few steps to make a difference in the lives of Maine children who are living with life-threatening medical conditions. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine’s fifth annual Walk For Wishes will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Bass Park with food and entertainment. The walk will begin at 6 p.m.

Several children in Penobscot County have benefited from Make-A-Wish. In July, 13-year-old Carl of Hampden traveled to Hawaii with his family, as did 16-year-old Erica of Bangor in 2003. Twenty-year-old Jennifer of Newport went on a Royal Caribbean Cruise in May. And last year, 7-year-old Fletcher of Bangor received the computer of his dreams and 7-year-old Jacob of Hermon an above-ground swimming pool.

More than 60 children in Penobscot County have had their greatest wish come true thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine, and more than 600 children statewide have had wishes granted since the Maine chapter was formed in 1992.

The Walk For Wishes is a major source of fund-raising for making wishes come true. The average cost of a wish is $5,000. Last year, walkers in the Bangor area raised nearly $5,000.

Walk participants form teams of family, co-workers and friends. There is no registration fee and walkers will receive a Make-A-Wish awareness wristband. Adult walkers who raise more than $100 and youth walkers who raise more than $50 will receive a T-shirt.

Employers and employees are invited to team up to become Wishmakers by raising $5,000 collectively. After the walk, a wish will be granted in honor of the company and its employees.

To register and make pledges online, visit www.maine.wish.org. For more information, call (866) 704-WALK, or e-mail wishwalk@maine.wish.org.

New pumper firetruck

The Bangor Fire Department officially put its newest fire engine into service recently after crews received training in the use of Engine 1, a 2005 Pierce Arrow XT. The state-of-the-art pumper features a four-man crew cab with radio headsets that allow the officer, driver and firefighters in the jump seats to communicate with each other over the roar of the diesel engine and siren as they head to an emergency scene.

Engine 1 also boasts a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump connected to a 750-gallon tank, deck gun to fight large fires such as the one at the Masonic Hall in January 2004, a 5,000-watt Honda electrical generator to supply instant power to lighting systems, and ground ladders inside a storage compartment which keeps the ladders free of debris, snow and ice. This fall the fire engine will be equipped with tire chains that drop down with the flip of a lever to provide traction on ice- and snow-covered roads.

To obtain more information, or to arrange to see Engine 1, call Fire Chief Jeffrey Cammack, Assistant Chief Vance Tripp or Capt. Richard Palmer at 942-6335.