Plenty of helping hands in our area

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, which makes it fitting to shine the light on some of the people who went above and beyond to make the Ignite Hope warming center at Ground Force Manufacturing possible for four months, 24/7.

The morning the center closed on March 31, I visited with two people whose helping hands were integral to the efforts, Tom Hamilton and Natalie Forsyth. As with all effective volunteer leaders they were eager to deflect the light to others ... Sonja's Cleaners, Cleanco Laundry, Cleaning & Laundry Village, Country Cleaners provided free cleaning for sleeping bags and blankets every week for over four months; Diana Anson from the beginning took charge of the hot meals that were brought in every night. Una Hamilton came to the shelter every Tuesday and Thursday to go through all the bags of donations that were received every day, organizing and sorting the clothing and also cleaning in her spare time. Steve Tutt was a substantial financial contributor and according to Natalie, the center could not have been open in February or March with out his generosity.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for this incredible collaborative project, which is just one of hundreds of good things that take place in our communities each and every day of the year.***

The Fair Foundation's inaugural Cowboy Ball was a great party. All manner of western attire was seen on the dance floor. While visiting with decked out Rathdrum Prairie farmers/ranchers Wade and Wanda McLean I remarked that there were sure a lot of real cowboys in the room. Wanda laughed and said if they all dressed like real cowboys, there would be a room full of muck boots and sweatshirts.***

Taxpayers get a two-day bye on filing this year since April 15 falls on a Sunday. So last week Bert was gathering paperwork before starting on our forms. At one point he held up a stack of W2s, shook his head and asked, "Just how many jobs do you have?" I found it ironic and comical that even my husband isn't quite sure what it is I do for a living.***

Lots to do this weekend ... Friday a food drive for the Post Falls Food Bank with live music and more in the Trading Company parking lot, Big Mumbo Blues Band at the Jacklin Arts and Culture Center and on Saturday the Aw$um Auction, Wine Walk, MultiCultural Fair, Free Tree giveaway at Q'emlin Park and an Afternoon Tea and Fashion Show at Silverlake Mall to benefit Relay for Life and DYW scholarships, where I'm honored to be speaking. Odds are I'll be seeing alot of you somewhere in my travels this weekend.***

Happy Main Street birthday today to Lonna Duncan (60!), Patrick Jacobs (40!), Idella Mansfield, Karen Reagan, DiAnna Macklin and Doreen Johnson. April 12 birthdays belong to Russell Heistuman, Kevin Reed, Connie Munk and Mallery Stubblefield. Friday the 13th is a lucky day to celebrate a birthday for Madison Leonard, Sandy Robertson, Kathy Behm, Evalyn Adams and Corbin Messina. On Saturday Phil Damiano, Joan Harmon, Mark Robitalle, Delaine Lewis and Dana Shapland are the birthday boys and girls. Sunday is the birthday of Dallas Scharf, Caroline Crollard, Doug Harms, Betsy Hawkins, Clay Ownbey, Tori Gray, Merrillyn Vickerman, Dave Holmes, Ian Waltz, Randy Teall, Kara Hicks and Judy Donner. Monday, April 16 marks milestone birthdays for Tom Fisher (60!) and JD Dickinson (50!). Also celebrating that day will be Chris LaVoie, Kevin Johnson and Leslie Gourley. And on Tuesday Pat Krug, Jaime Deacon, Blythe Templin, Andre Ney, Patrick Stroud, Anna Goodwin, Peggy Fairfield, Curtis Ormesher, Sheila McDaniel and Jonna Harris-Bowman will be blowing out the candles.***

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 2012 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)