Decades of goblins bid adieu
It’s the end of a spooky era for the Post Falls Lions. Its nearly four-decade run operating the epic haunted house will be no more in 2019.
It was incredibly generous of the Malloy family to provide the location at Fourth Avenue and Post Street to the club for a double-digit fee all these years. The Lions haunted house famously made USA Today’s top haunted houses in the country in the 1990s and has been a labor of love by the volunteers each year.
The bonus is that in all of the years of the October efforts at least a half-million dollars has been raised and distributed in the community. The Lions have used the funds they raised for scholarships, sight and hearing assistance and contributions to a myriad of other organizations and causes.
Kids who volunteered as high schoolers later returned as adults to lend a hand. As Lions, my husband and grandson both loved the time spent on cold October nights, scaring the bejeebers out of the young and old. I myself never went through the haunted house, preferring to volunteer in the bright light, helping sell concessions.
The property will be sold and developed in the coming months ... the old house that turned frightening the public into an art form will be gone. What will remain is the legacy of service by the Post Falls Lions and their generous benefactor who made it possible.
- • •
On Memorial Day I had a conversation with Gold Star mother Theresa Hart. As part of the program I was making brief remarks in recognition of American Legion Post 143’s namesake Steven H. Nipp, a 20-year-old Marine who was killed in action in his second tour of duty in Vietnam in 1969. The remarks were brief as Steven’s life was brief. He enlisted right after graduation from Post Falls High School in 1966. He would be 70 years old now.
It was not lost on either Theresa or me that her son, Nick Newby, also would be forever 20, killed in action in Iraq in 2011. She told me how important and meaningful it was for the families to know their children’s sacrifices were remembered. I assured her that 50 years from now, just as I was doing for Steve, someone would stand on a podium at a Memorial Day ceremony and tell Nick’s story.
While it’s easy to say the words “we will always remember,” what we need to vow is that we will say their names and tell their stories. Much more than names etched on walls and memorials, these young men and women deserve our voices raised in gratitude — and not just on Memorial Day.
- • •
Things to Do Highlights:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday is the annual 3Cs Twisted Stitchers garage sale, starting at 8 a.m. all three days at 204 W. 16th in Post Falls. All proceeds benefit 3Cs.
Saturday at McEuen Park, the Run for 271 5K for all ages is 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Proceeds from this event go to the 11 elementary schools in Coeur d’Alene School District 271. Info: www.runfor271.org
Saturday and Sunday, the North Idaho Mineral Club Rock and Gem Show is in Building 1 at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.
- • •
Happy Main Street birthday today to Louisa St John Durkin (90!), Star Shewey, Tiffany Williams, Jeff Pryse, Butch Andrews, Donnie Shuck, Fred Finklebinder and Pehr Black. Tomorrow Matt Weaver, Justin Curtis, Sheila Spears, Jenny Prince, Chip Wideen, Chloe Fleming and Becky Bridges will celebrate.
On Friday, Trey Barker III, Cindy Wood, Roger Beaulieu, Craig Singer, Lindsay Cantrell, Peggy Suenkel and Meredith Close put on their party hats. First day of June birthday wishes to Sandy Shopbell (75!), Patrick Booth, Dave Stutzke, Shannon Coles, Debbie Costa, Drake Foster, Mason Alexander, Tresa Brown and Vicki White.
Sharing June 2 birthdays are Al Williams, Mike and Mitch Alexander, Nancy Mueller, Drake Foster, Brenda Walters, Irene Seidler and Nels Jensen. On June 3 JoAnn Nelson, Mitch Heid, Scott Osburn, Matthew Huthinson, Kathy Larson, Devin Weeks, Sharon Timmons, Susan Mensching and Matt Boseth take another trip around the sun. On Tuesday Natalie Wyant, Lynsie Odd, Jay Sadler, Kirk Dady, Jessica Downs Anundson and Nikki Downs will celebrate.
- • •
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. Find Kerri on Facebook or via email at mainstreet@cdapress.com.