The 'girls of summer' knock it out of the park

Girl Power is on the softball diamond with the Post Falls All Stars. These young ladies (12-14) have earned a place in the July 31 to Aug. 9 regional tournament in Tucson, Ariz. Success there will launch them into the World Series!

Tonight join the team and coaches for a hot dog and hamburger barbecue fundraiser at Bret James Field (21st and Spokane streets), including a silent auction, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Congratulations and good luck to Taylor Finley, Hailey Sessions, Rylie Spriggs, Brooklyn Gomer, Anya Horn, Alexis Davis, Mackenzie Morris, Allison Morris, Mari Bennett, Haiden Pulliam, Daphne Tolar, Ashlee Wright and coaches Kurt Gomer, Mike Schulze and Aaron Stephens. If you'd like to contribute to their travel fund: Post Falls Little League c/o Softball, PO Box 884, Post Falls ID 83877.

We've seen it all through the past couple of decades of the Post Falls parade, including the year we had the Royal Canadian Unmounted Police heading the line-up when their horses were prevented from crossing the border. This year was another all-time first. During the set up of the parade staging area on Saturday morning a rather large cow moose seemed determined to join the fun. She wandered around 6th Avenue while the parade committee kept a respectful distance. The Post Falls Police succeeded in gently herding the wayward moose to the north, away from where a few thousand people would soon be lining up to watch the parade.

It's that time of year when classmates reunite to mark the decades since graduation. I encourage everyone who's able to attend yours, especially those of you who still live in the area. Often the locals take a pass thinking that they see many classmates regularly but there are just as many who are traveling back to their hometown in hopes of reconnecting for a weekend. So if you haven't already signed on for your reunion, do it! And to those of you who've taken on the sometimes thankless job of organizing ... kudos.

On tap for the weekend ... golf tournaments Friday: Kid Centric Sports Association Mahalo Mixer at Coeur d'Alene Public and the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors at Avondale. On Saturday it's Muddy Miles from 3-5 p.m. at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds followed by the St. Vincent de Paul Steak Fry from 5-10 p.m. with Kelly Hughes and opening act Acuff & Sherfey. Did I mention Bentz PitChamps Jeff Selle and Jay Bremer are manning the barbecue grill? On Sunday is the Omi One Mile Open Water Swim, 9 a.m. at Sanders Beach to benefit 3rd Grade Swim.

Birthday wishes today to Terry Werner, John Malloy, Erik Nelson, Janet Brock, Belinda Rowe, Amber Flinn and Emily Crawford, who's turning 30! Tomorrow Eric Wurmlinger, Jessica Ohlig, Annette Davis, Kathy LaTourrette, Dustin Peacock, Lori Nelson, Sandie Husby, Joanne Anglin, Cody Jones and Darreil Kirking blow out the candles. July 19 birthdays belong to David Kilmer, Vic Grilli, Bill Noordam, Hillary Main, Sherri Dust and Micheala Corcoran.

On Saturday Sally Holtz, Duane Hammond and Louise Gillespie celebrate. Sunny Sunday salutations to Jim Lien, Cathy Meeks, Todd Jenicek, Janet Allen, Shane Bell and Matt Gardner.

Starting the week with birthdays are Debbie Brown, Joe Malloy, Jennifer Schmidt, Tina Vandenheuvel and Sam Paul on Monday and Katie Brodie, Jeremy Epstein, Marilee Wallace, Bill Singleton, Cassie Ohlig, Chris Olson-Wood, Carolyn Kreager, Anne Kulinsky, Jessica McLean, Darin Hayes and Brett Surplus on Tuesday.

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 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be reached at [email protected] or find her on Facebook!