What's not to love about a birthday
We've been hearing about the 100th birthday of the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce for a year in an inspired celebration of all of those with vision and generous hearts in this community. The big party is just two days away on Friday, in keeping with the historical accuracy of the organization's founding. Thanks to Robert Singletary via Kiki Miller, here's the nutshell of how the chamber came to exist and why this Friday's water revue and exhibition is so fitting to kick off the party on the front lawn of The Coeur d'Alene Resort.
In 1912 a local businessman's group was mostly social in nature and some of the members thought creating a group more focused on attracting and creating businesses to the growing community would be of value. Not wanting to cause friction with the existing men's club, the enterprising fellows arranged a meeting on one of the steamboats on Lake Coeur d'Alene, ensuring privacy while they planned the new club. And so it happened on Sept. 21, 1912. Before the steamboat docked that day the men established a charter for the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, appointed officers and selected a board of directors. And the rest is history, a history that's being celebrated on Friday.
Interesting trivia:
• The first officers were T.R. Gedes, G.R. Scott, J.V. Hawkins, P.L. Gordon and E.L. Overjorde.
• Fifty years later, in 1961-62, Duane Hagadone became the youngest to serve as Chairman of the Board and was involved in the passage of a North Idaho College bond as well as the bond to construct Kootenai Memorial Hospital.
• Judge John McHugh and other board members "passed a hat" in 1980 to create a fund to bring Idaho Governor John Evans to Coeur d'Alene to launch a media campaign to convince the public that Lake Coeur d'Alene and the area was safe after the eruption of Mount St. Helens, which nearly halted the tourist trade in North Idaho.
• Margaret Pounder was the first woman to serve as Chairman of the Board, elected in 1989. Two more women have served in the top spot, Judy Drake in the 1990s and Barbara Bradley in this past decade.
A huge thank you to the businesses of then and now who bring vitality to our community, who step up with contributions to so many causes and nonprofits year in and year out. Of course the best way to show our appreciation is to make it a point to shop and trade locally so these businesses continue to thrive for another century.
My oh my, I'm living the dream with this glorious summer-like weather. I can assure you I'll get in a few more swims in the lake and river by the time the sun sets on Sunday. But in case you're thinking this is unusual September weather, last year we had a couple of 90 degree days after the middle of the month. Enjoy!
If you're in the mood for a little Italian love, the 9th annual North Idaho Italian Festival is taking place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Post Falls' city center, hosted by Rosa's Italian Deli. Mama Mia!
Happy Birthday today to Debbie Sala, Wally Connally, Jeanne Wright, Brock Morrow and Karen Lindbergh. Tomorrow's celebrants are Julie Chadderdon, John Stevens, Craig Brosenne and George Balling. On Friday Stacy Hudson, Dina Hourland and Margaret White are the birthday girls. Saturday birthdays on the official first day of Autumn are Jerry Lyon, Amy Reagan, Vic Slater, Scott Livingston and my baby sister, Ronna Park. On a sunshiny Sunday Craig Owens, Wendy Young, Patty Kilcup, Stacie McGrath, David Thompson, Sue Enright, Brian Harris, Denise Bechel and Margaret Singleton will be partying. Monday, Sept. 24, Debbie Michalak, Justin Capaul (30!), Andrea Rainey, Steve Evert, Dorothy Benoit and Cathy Scharde will blow out the birthday candles and on Tuesday, Susan Cliff, Teri Hudgin, Cheryl Snyder, Gladys Sullivan, Ronald Schlepp, Beck Jacobsen and Michael McGee celebrate another trip around the sun.
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). Find her on Facebook or via email [email protected].