Enjoying the rituals of spring
Area high schools have been holding their proms the past few weekends and even though it’s been 21 years since our youngest graduated from high school it’s been fun to see the photographs of so many teens all dressed up in their fancy finery. This past Saturday, Timberlake High School and Lake City High School proms took place. I wanted to tell each and every one of these young people that yes, these are memorable magical times of their lives but by no means are these the best years of their lives. The world awaits.
At the Post Falls Distinguished Young Women program on Saturday night I was again impressed by the intelligence, talent and humor of the participants. I’ve been involved in one way or another with DYW and its predecessor Junior Miss since the late ’80s but on Saturday I was awed by some of the most inventive of acts in the talent portion. Not everyone has a performing art kind of talent, although there were some wonderful dancers, singers and gymnasts competing. It was the young women whose talents were of a more unique nature that caught my eye ... the making of balloon animals, a CPR demonstration to the song “Staying Alive” and a pole vaulter describing the aerodynamics and motions of her sport.
Congratulations to all and Abbey Turpin, the new Post Falls DYW, well done!
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The PFHS Alumni Group meets the second Wednesday of each month. Tonight it meets at Nate’s New York Pizza at 5 p.m. Info: Wayne Dust, 208-699-6146.
Tomorrow at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Who Let the Dogs Out benefit for the Coeur d’Alene Police K-9 Association at 5:30 p.m.
Friday is the Post Falls Rotary Club golf tournament at Prairie Falls Golf Course, noon tee time. Bill Bosley is in concert at the Jacklin Center at 7 p.m.
On Saturday fill your flower pots at the Hayden Meadows Elementary School’s annual greenhouse sale, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also on Saturday is Special Needs Recreation’s annual talent show, 6 p.m. at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls. Gates open at 4 p.m. at Stateline Speedway for Lantern Fest with lanterns launched after sunset.
Tuesday, May 17 (Syttende Mai) at 11:15 a.m. the local chapter of the Sons of Norway will celebrate the anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution by raising the flag of Norway at Falls Park, a tradition that has taken place in Post Falls since 2001. A potluck lunch, music and cultural programs are open to the public.
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It comes as no surprise to longtime readers or people who know me that May is my favorite month. What’s not to love about turning the corner on a soggy spring, planting flowers and seeing those first buds and blossoms? Getting outside without a coat or sweater, the wonderful aroma of fresh-mowed lawns and the breeze in your face on a bike or with the convertible top down. Too early for biting bugs to be out but the birds are abundant and happy.
And birthdays ... yes, birthdays. I love birthdays, even when they’re not mine but May happens to be the month of my birth and through the years I’ve gathered an abundance of names of people who share this birth month.
No matter the month of your birth, birthdays are the one thing we all have in common. It's that one day of the year when we can embrace the simple fact that we’re alive and with any luck at all, surrounded by family and friends. I’ll never tire of celebrating life and the blessings of these past 64 years!
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Happy birthday today to Anne Hagman, Debra Altman, Anthony Skarisky, Stephanie Knox, Ginger Cutler, Margie Adams, Chad Todd and Sharon Culbreth.
The same tomorrow to Mary Rawlsky, Allison Cook, Lynette Walsh, Bob Hoskins, Jason Penzkover, Craig Ziegler, Olivia Jacobsen, Wyatt Dickinson and Jon Brewer.
Lucky Friday the 13th birthdays for Kathy Hlebichuk, Butch Marks, Steve Pollard, Tim Cushman, Judy Brooks, Charlie Morris and PJ Christo.
Sharing my May 14 birthday on Saturday are Williene Gagnon, Stephanie Davenport, KJ Torgerson, Jaime Cornwell, Macy Ducoeur, Mark Hemenway, Tyler Krieg, Rita Preston, Randy McKahn, Jake Hobbs, Kathy White, Liz Ricciardi, Breanne Ruff, Kimberly Westrick, Kristi Messinger, Caren Easterly, Bill Ohlfs, Linda Green, Katie Bane, Mitch Bevacqua, Chrissy Johnson and Averie Barnes.
On Sunday Suzanna Spencer, Lorri Gum, Patricia Braddock (70!), Jack Wheir and Barbara Welch take another trip around the sun.
May 16 birthdays belong to Diane Wahl, Kari Malkovich, Cindy Barnes and Michelle Richter.
On Tuesday Jared Janke, Brad Finney, Shawntel Shofner, Brad Enders and Christine Brannon (60!) will celebrate.
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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.