Support those who serve
In the role of observer and chronicler of our communities, I'm often one step removed. But one cannot live here without sometimes becoming a part of what goes on. Tuesday's deployment send-off of the Idaho Army National Guard was just such a moment.
In my capacity as a Post Falls city councilwoman I was honored to join mayors Clay Larkin and Vic Holmes, PFPD Capt. Pat Knight, Post Falls Jr. Miss Hailey Smith, and Sid Smith and Karen Roetter, respectively, representing U.S. Sens. Risch and Crapo, in a greeting line. But I was also there as the aunt of one of those soldiers, with my sister, Janna and nephew, Dallas. After all of the deploying members of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team spent an hour or two with their families hugging their goodbyes and were set to board the buses, we shook each soldier's hand and had a personal exchange. Some were still teenagers and most were older. Some were leaving behind wives and husbands, many leaving behind young children. There were parents, grandparents and siblings there to see their soldiers off.
The emotion was not just visible it was palpable. My heart broke a hundred times over for one young boy who called out "goodbye Daddy!" through his sobs as his father boarded the bus.These volunteer soldiers have a job to do, one they're well-prepared for, in Iraq. As they drove away in the buses and I looked around at the crowd of family members I realized that all of us also have a job to do. We need to show our gratitude for these soldiers' service by making sure their families are not alone in their sacrifice.
***If you heard the loud noise of jet engines overhead late Friday afternoon and midday on Saturday, it was the U.S. Marines. Four F-18 Hornets landed at Pappy Boyington Field at the Coeur d'Alene Airport during a training mission out of Miramar Air Base in San Diego.
It's certainly not a common occurrence but the stopover did have a local connection. Captain Nathan Corkill hails from the Silver Valley, a graduate of Kellogg High School and the U of I. What a special treat for his parents, Brad and Mary Corkill, to see up close and personal what their son's "day job" with the Marines involves.On Saturday when the four pilots took off from the airport at Resort Aviation, a few dozen family and friends were able to see the incredible flying machines right there on the tarmac, close enough to blow off several baseball caps when the engines fired up.As Kevin Gonzales, the creator of the Pappy Boyington Field documentary, observed on Saturday, the timing was apropos, as well. Three years ago today the field at the Coeur d'Alene Airport was named in honor of legendary Marine Corps fighter pilot and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Pappy Boyington. I'm sure Major Boyington would have been as impressed with Capt. Corkill, Capt.Ben Hinz, Major Brandon Guardon and Major Kevin Goodwin's F-18s. Semper Fi.
***Happy 50th birthday today to my baby sister, Ronna! Jerry Lyon also celebrates his birthday today. Tomorrow Sue Enright, David Thompson, Madeline Singleton, Craig Owens and Denise Bechel will blow out their candles. Denise will have 60 candles on her cake! Friday is Debbie Michalak's birthday and on Saturday Susan Cliff, Cheryl Snyder, Beck Jacobsen and Michael McGee mark their special day.The most senior member of the Monday birthday group is Ruth McDermid, who's turning 82. Also celebrating on Sept. 27 are Loretta Reed, Delraya Anstine and Paul Landers. Ken Cook and Meg Elyard have birthdays on Tuesday.
***It's still September but on Friday you can celebrate the annual Oktoberfest in Post Falls with the Post Falls Historical Society and Preservation Commission, with a little help from the Post Falls Community Volunteers ... 4:30 p.m. at the Grand Pavilion in Q'emiln Park. Another event with the Oktoberfest theme is the SeptOberFest Cruise with U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo on Saturday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene is just $5 per person and the first 100 people older than 21 to board will receive a free beer. 765-4000 ext. 21 for more info.
***THERE'S MORE ... at More Main Street see local photos of people and places you know, including photographs of the Marine Corps F-18s and the 116th deployment with information on how to support the family members. Access More Main Street at the link below or go to the www.cdapress.com site, columns tab and click on the link.
***Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. More Main Street blog is at http://moremainstreet.blogspot.com. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com