Northwest Notes Jan. 21, 2012
Team Laughing Dog to host Coeur d'Alene fundraiser
COEUR d'ALENE - Team Laughing Dog, a group of four Sandpoint cyclists taking part in the 2012 Race Across America, will be holding a fundraiser at the Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, 1710 W. Riverstone Dr., on Monday from 5-9 p.m.
Team Laughing Dog is riding across America to raise funds and awareness for autism. Funds will ultimately be donated to the Panhandle Autism Society of Coeur d'Alene and the Northwest Autism Center. Both organizations are nonprofit, and work for the benefit of families dealing with autism in North Idaho and Eastern Washington.
The fundraiser is open to the public, and will feature silent auction items including a Schweitzer Mountain weekend package, lodging and golf at Hills Resort, four tickets to a Seattle Sounders game, a rafting trip and much more. Bardenay will donate a portion of the proceeds from food and beverage sales to the team.
Sandpoint cycling enthusiasts Gina Pucci, Julie Nye, Kathi Ribi-Crane and Arlene Cook are planning to ride from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md., in June in the annual 3,000-mile Race Across America, a round-the-clock event that draws cyclists from all over the world.
Last year Team Laughing Dog was all male, and raised considerable funds for autism, and the four women wanted to keep the ball rolling in 2012.
Information: www.TeamLaughingDog.com
California libero signs to play volleyball at NIC
Rosie Robinson, a libero from Hemet (Calif.) High, has signed to play volleyball for North Idaho College in 2012.
At Hemet, Robinson was the team captain for the back-to-back Division IV California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) champions the past two years where she was voted first team all-league twice, Defensive Player of the Year twice and Most Valuable Player in the Mountain Pass League in 2012. She was a member of the well-known 951 Elite Volleyball Club in Southern California and was an all-tournament player for two consecutive years at the Dan Quam Memorial Tournament. Robinson was recently voted All-California second team by the CIF for the 2011-2012 volleyball season.
Prep Star rated Robinson as one of the top liberos for the class of 2012 in Southern California based on her 343 digs, 41 aces and 30 kills. She also spent one year living in Panyu, China, and played soccer, track and volleyball at Clifford International School and earned Woman Athlete of the Year honors at a school of more than 3,000 students. She is also a standout soccer player in California, garnering recognition and awards for her play and receiving offers from other colleges.
"I chose NIC because my family roots go back to North Idaho and after meeting the coaching staff and players here, I was impressed with the entire program and that I could contribute to a nationally ranked team and can continue to improve under coach Kelly," Robinson said. "I chose volleyball over soccer, because I truly love this game and NIC is one of the best schools for it."
North Idaho College coach Kandice Kelly said, "It was fun reading all of Rosie's articles following her through volleyball and soccer, but seeing her in action here at NIC was a lot more fun. She was even better than I expected. She is one of the quickest kids I've seen in a long time and the team absolutely loved her. I am excited to coach and train her. She is everything I look for in a libero and I know she has a lot of potential; not to mention, she is a sweetheart. She fit in great with our team which is always something I pay close attention to."