Young dancer digs deep on dirty job
For those of us who own dogs, the downside to the winter snow melting is discovering the poop piles that have been hidden for months. So when I saw a Facebook post from a former co-worker, Lori Weaver, that her daughter was earning money for a dance trip to New York in the fall by scooping up poop, I was on board.
Ashlyn Weaver is a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Seltice Elementary School who’s been dancing with Dance Theater Northwest since she was just 3 years old. She’s darling and sweet and the hardest worker I’ve seen in recent memory. What I loved about Ashlyn is her joyful willingness to do a yucky job in order to follow a dream. With the encouragement of her mom, she’s learning responsibility by taking on the commitment to help earn her way. In addition to school, Ashlyn takes five hours of dance lessons each week, with more practicing on her own.
I look forward to following up on Ashlyn’s journey to New York City to perform in “Dance the Magic on Broadway” with Disney. She will train with the Rockettes for half a day and dance on the New Amsterdam Theater stage. She and her fellow Dance Theater Northwest dancers will see “Frozen” on Broadway and meet the cast. Capping the trip they’ll see the Rockettes perform in the Christmas Spectacular.
Not only is our backyard barefoot ready, our two little pups fell in love with Ashlyn. What’s not to love?
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This past month, with my mother transitioning into assisted living, we had to go through an apartment filled with everything — some things being stored and most being gifted or donated. Since she’s no longer driving, it was also the end of an era for my late father’s beloved black 1990 Lincoln. It was a bit worse for the wear, since he’s been gone for almost 15 years, so the decision was made to donate it to charity.
A few days before the company was coming to tow it away, I spent some time cleaning it out. As I sat in the driver’s seat on the buttery leather seats, I could picture my dad driving that iconic black Lincoln ... his right arm across the back of the seat, flags flying from the back windows and the personalized VOX POP license plates.
Dad always preferred Lincolns, and when we moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1965 he owned a big blue one. I recall being dropped off in front of the junior high school on Seventh Street on my first day of school. I’m sure the car was more memorable than the nervous teenager who walked up the steps to the school that day.
The VOX POP (voice of the people) plates graced his cars for decades — and when he served as a Kootenai County commissioner, were a regular sight at the courthouse. Ron Rankin was a man of the people, a patriot, a happy warrior when politics were not quite the blood sport of today. He was also an extraordinary dad.
The personalized plates will stay in the family although the Lincoln has driven off into the sunset. The memories will last a lifetime.
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Things to Do Highlights:
There’s great fun in store on Friday night with the eighth annual Cowboy Ball, 5 p.m. at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds to benefit the North Idaho Fair & Rodeo Foundation.
On Saturday the CHS Booster Club’s Viking Country Auction and Steak & Crab Dinner at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn at 5 p.m. The Kelly Hughes Band will provide the music. chsvikingboosters@gmail.com
Sunday is the annual Icebreaker 5k/10k Run around Hauser Lake. Same-day registration 8 a.m., race starts at 10 a.m. The 10k course is a Bloomsday Second Seed Qualifier and USA Track & Field Certified. Proceeds benefit Double J Dog Ranch.
Montana singer and storyteller Bill Rossiter will appear at Community Library Network locations this coming week. Athol, Monday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. and Rathdrum, Tuesday, April 9, 5:30 p.m.
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Happy birthday today to Liz Montgomery, Doreen Porter, Cameron Dominquez and Cindy Jordan. Laura Keck (Sweet 16!), Kathryn Eachon, Marshall Meeks, Nancy Gurno, Keith Hanlon, Duffy Taylor, Ann Fox, Nicholas Kane, Pappy Butler and Toni Hackwith celebrate tomorrow. On Friday Sharon Stevenson, Terri McTavish, Dan Powers, Sharon Wagner, Kelli Hawkins, John Negaard, Jamie Dallas and Gail Osterson blow out the candles. Bruce Hough, Caitlin Hodl and Tyler Bush take another trip around the sun on Saturday. Carrie Gridley Shenfield, Katie Keane, Mary Epstein, James George, Melaine Spalding and Eli Gonzales (16!) have their cake, and eat it too, on Sunday. Monday celebrants are Amy Bartoo, Wilma Higgins, Greg Prado, Kevin Kram, Patrick Hughes, Veldon Lee and Shanna Riske. On April 9 Nicole Medlock, Jodi McKenzie, Kimber Gates, John Hays, Caleb Peck, Carol Graham, Joan Nowoj-Phelps, Cynthia Taggart and Tom Messina (70!) mark the anniversary of their birth.
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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.