Community: Lifting each other up

What I love most about our communities is the fact that generous hearts are evident not just at the holidays but throughout the year. It seems to me that these challenging times have increased the spirit of giving, even by those without deep pockets but who are grateful for having a paycheck, a roof over their heads, their health and food in the cupboards ... simply wanting to pay it forward. It's easy to get discouraged by the news of the economy but by lifting each other up, we are also lifted up.

I can assure you that beyond the stories you see on the news and in the newspaper, there are hundreds of acts of selflessness that take place every single day. What a blessing it is to know the heart of the place we call home.***

Bayley Brooks and Nicholas Kane just returned from a weekend competing in Vancouver, B.C., at the Grand Ball where they took first in four categories of ballroom dancing. The duo is aiming for the 2012 USA Dance National Championships in Baltimore next year and you can help make that happen. On Saturday the Autumn Benefit Ball, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Eagles on Sherman Avenue, will be an evening of ballroom dancing with the $10 admission going toward Bayley and Nicholas' trip to nationals.***

The COEUR Group is one of those who made a difference in the lives of 24 young people on Saturday. They provided a shopping trip to a special "closet" of nice winter wear at St. Vincent de Paul. That was just an hour or two after 170 people showed up to participate in the inaugural "Run a Mile in their Shoes" event for the homeless veterans programs at SVDP. Tomorrow the fabulous "Souport of the End of Homelessness Soup-Off Contest" is at the fairgrounds. For just $10 you can sample over more than two dozen homemade soups and be served by local luminaries from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.On Friday evening the EXCEL Foundation's Silver Anniversary Celebration will take place at the Coeur d'Alene Inn. That's 25 years of providing grants to the Coeur d'Alene School District's classrooms. Also on Friday the Post Falls Rotary Club's Music by Candlelight Wine and Music Social, featuring Pamela Benton, will be at the Post Falls Senior Center. Call 773-2020 or 667-4753 for tickets. Speaking of the Post Falls Senior Center, they're holding an all-you-can-eat spaghetti feed on Saturday from 5-7 p.m. which will include an auction and dancing after the dinner.

***Local entrepreneur Chris Lavoie and his locally produced Slumber Mitt are soon to launch a national marketing campaign for the product. I carried one of the travel pillows with me across the pond to London this past spring and it traveled better than I did. Great to see a young businessman, who had an inspiring idea, now taking it to the next level.***

Bret Bowers recently made a friend at an American Wind Energy Association symposium in San Diego: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who was the keynote speaker. Bret has one of Steve's business cards that's a work of technological art in and of itself.***

Today wish a happy birthday to Colleen Allison (84!), Dan Ripley (60!), Sue Spinazza, Cathleen Lenon, Chris Fillios, James Morris, Peter Smith and Stan Purcell. Tomorrow my daughter Melani Oleson Gonzalez is turning 40! It's also the birthday of Gary Norton, Al Hassell, Susan Weathers, Maddie Hansen, Hazel Dennis, Neil Oliver and Laura Simon. Friday is a big day for Gina Mote, Michelle Rielly, Bob Johnson and John Smetana. On Saturday the handsome and talented Aaron Baldwin turns 21! November 20 birthdays are shared by Mayor Sandi Bloem, Dr. Bob West, Brian Smith, Jim Jacklin, Dave Oliveria, Kristin Hoppe and Michael King. On Monday Maureen Dolan, Bob Driscoll, Kaci Medlock, Susan Martin, Barbara Bryan, Gary Schwalbach and the beautiful Vonnie Satchewell (80!) celebrate. Blowing out the candles on their cakes Tuesday are TJ Barnhart, Dustin Ainsworth, Hazel Fox, Tyeson Bennett, Brenda Hanson and Leland Johnson, who's turning 5!***

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 and Kerri is on the air Mondays and Wednesdays on 1080 ESPN AM (KVNI). She can be reached at [email protected]