Outlasting the Bloomie buzzard
Bloomsday was a victory even for those like my sisters and me who finished just under the wire to claim a coveted finisher T-shirt. My personal goal was simply to finish, after looking the big buzzard on Doomsday Hill right in the eye. Turns out I actually outlasted the buzzard as the human inside the iconic creature took ill and was sitting on the sidelines when I came by.
We'd met two locals at the front of the lilac group during the line-up, Mary and Perry Sweeney of Rathdrum. Thousands made the annual 7.46 mile walk/run and everyone in our family group finished. Now I can say that I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt.***
Dr. Ellen Jaeger was honored as the Lewis Clark State College Alumni of the Year during graduation ceremonies on Sunday afternoon. If you saw the photo in the Monday Press of elegant Ellen accepting the award, it's worth noting that she arrived at the ceremony at 2 p.m. ... after completing the Bloomsday 12K that morning, picking up her finisher's T-shirt, dodging the crowds and traffic to make it home in time to change. Another award might be in order for successful multi-tasking. :)***
More feel-good fashion statements at the county assessor's office when Mike McDowell and Darin Krier made good on their pledge to shave their heads, mustaches and beard if even more money could be raised for Gary Logsdon, who had to take an early retirement for medical reasons.It was a packed house in the assessor's office when professional stylists Griffen Solberg and Amy Merk of Hip Salon showed up with the tools of their trade. Off came Darin's dark locks and facial hair then Mike took the hot seat. The first swipe of the clippers went right down the center of his silver locks to the delight of his staff and co-workers. Deputy Assessor Rich Houser's close crop of a few weeks ago is starting to grow back so he took great delight in seeing Mike and Darin take one for the team, too.
Bottom line ... a total of $2,645 was raised and all three of the shorn agree that their friend Gary is well worth the temporary loss of hair. For photos, go online to More Main Street.***
On Friday the Post Falls Senior Center will celebrate its grand re-opening after suffering water damage several months ago. The public is invited to tour the facility between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., with the ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m.The semi-annual Cowboy Breakfast at the old Pleasant View School is always a great way to spend a Saturday morning but this year it's taken on a special significance. Longtime member of the Pleasantview Community Association, Mike Darrar, is awaiting a lung transplant in Seattle and the proceeds from the breakfast will help with his expenses. On Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. head west on Riverview Drive at Spokane Street and enjoy biscuits, sausage gravey and eggs for just $6. Bob Ickes has more info at 755-9802. If you're wondering when again you could wear the extravagant hat from the Royal Wedding, it's Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 7. You can even place a bet on the Run for the Roses at the Greyhound Park on Saturday.
On Saturday evening the sure-to-be great fun Bras on Dudes fundraiser for Relay for Life takes place at Fedora Pub and Grill. For info: Call 704-5886 or e-mail [email protected].***
A real treat on Sunday is the traditional "Mother's Day in the Park" concert at 2 p.m. in the Coeur d'Alene City Park bandshell. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.The NIC Wind Symphony will perform a number of pieces, including the classic John Williams arrangement of the "Star Spangled Banner," before joining with the NIC Chamber Singers on the John Philip Sousa piece "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as well as Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen" and Roy Ringwald's "Battle Hymn of the Republic." The concert is free and open to the public.
***As the mother of an 11-year flight attendant, the aunt of an active-duty solider serving in Baghdad, Iraq and as a patriotic, flag-waving American who will never forget the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001 to a terrorist attack, the news of the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden feels a lot like justice to me.
***Happy birthday today to Brittany Smith, Jeanette Bangs, Scott Jacobson, Scott Hayden and Rand Wichman. Happy Cinco de Mayo birthdays on Thursday to the Polar Bear Plunge King Robert Cliff, Ben Miller, Joni McCoury and Andy Fischbacher. Connie Clark, Kathy Sims, Kristi Pope, Steve Eachon, Jeff Rhodes and Tamatha Dougall celebrate on Friday. May 7 is the birthdate of Kathie Brack, Lisa Aitken, Rob Rinard, Jr., David Dasher and Phil Pyseky. Matt Barkley, Coke Hough, Tiffany Moore Teal, Jared Raynor, Mary Rednour, Cory Snyder and Dave Walker have their birthdays fall on Mother's Day this year. On Monday Carla Noonan, George Larsen, Tara Dagastine, Kristi Flicker, Valerie Emery and Bre Hatcher mark the occassion of their birth. Shelly Servick, Pepper Smock, David Dickinson and Bruce Franetick celebrate birthdays on Tuesday.
***THERE'S MORE: New stories and photos almost every day at More Main Street. There's a link also for adding your birthday to the Main Street Birthday Club!
***Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2010 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. More Main Street blog is at http://moremainstreet.blogspot.com. Listen to Main Street Monday on KVNI AM1080. Kerri can be reached at [email protected]