First-time author at 83 years young
Reader Cindy Christoph emailed a suggestion for a book to read after the column last week about book clubs. "Innocent Bystander" is an action fiction by Post Falls author Robert J. Christoph’e, who happens to be her father. Robert wrote the manuscript over the course of several years and tucked it away in a desk drawer where it remained for many more years.
Cindy says family and friends had long encouraged him to have it published, which he finally did this past fall at the age of 83. Here’s hoping for “overnight” success for Mr. Christoph’e and his first book! Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
• • •
Another reader, Caroline Crollard, shared that likely the longest-running and certainly the largest local book club is part of the 3Cs organization. That book club started in 1988 and currently has 170 members who read nine books a year; February’s selection is “The Light Between Oceans.”
It meets the third Wednesday of the month, Sept. through May at The Coeur d’Alene Resort. The $45 annual dues benefit 3Cs charitable giving which in 2015 included 32 local nonprofits receiving $100,000! For information about the 3Cs Book Club, call Jill Blackburn, (208) 762-0347.
• • •
A follow-up to a mention in this column on Feb. 3: When I wrote about my nephew David Motola’s Jan. 31 viral home video of him playing a piano lullaby to his infant son, we were all amazed that it had received about 5 million views in 72 hours. In the past few weeks the views have reached nearly 40 million worldwide and David has appeared on network broadcasts all over the country. Parents magazine and actor/new father Ashton Kutcher have shared the link. And baby Sam has recovered from his ear ache.
• • •
Things to Do: Friday the North Idaho Deaf Club is celebrating Mardi Gras with the Rathdrum Lions Club from 6-9 p.m. The event will be at the Lions Clubhouse, 16114 N. Meyer Road, and feature arts, crafts and a gumbo cook-off. Info: nideafclub@gmail.com.
The eighth annual indoor bike ride to benefit the Kootenai County Police and Fire Memorial Foundation is at Peak Fitness in Post Falls on Friday and Saturday. Events for the family and open to the public. 773-0601.
Saturday at 6 p.m., PFHS senior parents auction and dinner to benefit the Class of 2016 graduation night party. Tickets available at Post Falls Chamber or at the door.
Rev up those motorcycles and bundle up for the annual Frosty Buns Run on Sunday. Riders begin at Lawrence’s Motorcycles in Coeur d’Alene at 9:30 a.m. and will end at Curley’s in Hauser Lake in the afternoon.
A great reason for a Sunday drive is the encore performance of Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s "Living Through the Fire" at the Enaville Resort aka The Snake Pit on Coeur d’Alene River Road at 2 p.m. Feb. 28. It’s a 45-minute musical about the big fire of 1910 that destroyed much of the Silver Valley. Trivia — The Snake Pit was one of the few structures that was still standing after the fire.
• • •
Happy birthday today to Mike Kennedy, Dorene Russell, Dewey Berndt, Helen Pischner, Lisa Ortize, Steve Mills, Don DuBois, Chuck Ethridge, Leslie Anne Spencer and Mary Button.
The same tomorrow to Jill Monroe, Steve Shepperd, Susie Bingham, Pershia Moser, Abbie Nowland and Diana Raugust.
Celebrating birthdays on Friday are Amy Boni, Teri Nipp, Rebekah Newbry, Samantha Kraack, Helga Wernicke, Julia Jaworski and Rob Colvin.
Saturday celebrants are Rick Seward, Ron Ouren, Maycie Goodlander, Barb Eveland, Phil Romans and Jared White.
Sunday birthday girls are Megan Lee, Paige Watkins and Donna Pfeiffer.
On Monday Mark Sales, Tami Crawford, Billie Jo Campbell, Jim Clark and Jack Lash make another trip around the sun.
Sydney Knox, Shawn Telford, Corinna Hunter, Diane Mort, Louise Robeson, Bill Kaufamn, Holly McNee, Denise Wilbanks and Marion Brendis celebrate Feb. 23 birthdays.
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.