Friends feeding friends is a labor of love
Since the stay-at-home order back in March, David and Angie Hatch and their friends, Jacki Akerman and Kyle Siegert have spent a lot of quality time together. They’re done some pretty cool projects and solved the problems of the world during socially distancing time spent in the Hatches' big Post Falls shop.
A few weeks ago when talking about so many things that have been canceled this fall they decided to take on a big project. They decided to make free Thanksgiving dinner for about 250 people. With a little help from their friends, and the use of American Legion Post 143’s commercial kitchen, they’ll prepare turkeys, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole and a roll.
Each meal will be packaged individually and on Thanksgiving Day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. the meals will be handed out curbside at the American Legion while they last. Recipients just take them home and heat them up.
This is such a blessing to people who can’t or don’t cook, especially single people or older couples or families struggling. With even family Thanksgiving gatherings being curtailed and public gatherings limited to 50 people or less, holiday plans for most people will look a lot different in 2020.
Friends Feeding Friends is a labor of love by a group of people whom I’m thankful to call my friends. If you have questions or would like to help in some way, email pffriendsfeedingfriends@gmail.com
In October 2000 Patti DeVoe Piper, CHS '59, retired and returned to her hometown of Coeur d’Alene after 40 years away. Her big sister, Nancy DeVoe Runge, CHS '58, wanted to make it easy for Patti to make new friends or reunite with old friends so she created a book club.
Patti tells me that she and Nancy are “Irish Twins,” born just 11 months apart.
At their first book club meeting they decided upon the name Circle of Friends.
“During these 20 years we have mourned the death of two members, supported each other as husbands have passed on, cared for our members who’ve suffered serious illnesses, and celebrated many joys in each others’ lives,” Nancy said.
Six of the dozen original members are still active: Carol Enders, Ellen Bell, RoJeane Rust, Barbara Howard, Patti Piper and Nancy Runge. Newer members are Judy Drake, Kathy Anderson, Linda Isaacson, Mary Henderson and Maryls Rogers. The women continue to meet monthly and in 2020 incorporated Zoom into the equation. The prolific Circle of Friends have read 205 books.
“We deconstruct, we dissect, we ruminate and ponder old and new ideas but one thing never changes, we are a circle of friends who respect, support and love one another,” Nancy explained.
Here’s to the next 20 years!
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Veterans Day 2020: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy.
To all who’ve served, we thank you.
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Happy 11/11 birthdays today to Ruth Pratt, Ellen Jaeger, Graydon Stanley, Tim Mitchell, Eugene Boyle, Aaron Roberts, Amy Colbert, Ruth Morrow, Kim Malar-Currie, Kelli Fahy, Heather Bryant, Ron Lahr, Keith Boe and Emilia Ovstedal. Tomorrow Faith Mitchell, Chris Arnold, Polly Johnson, Marshall Mend, Dana Ryan, Greg Gervais, Robert Lantz, Antigone Twidt, Brenda Murphy and Amanda Behringer put on their party hats.
Lucky Friday the 13th birthdays to Matt Backs, Cheyenne Tate, Desiree Janke, Timarie Lindquist, Tonya Yost, Margaret Ogram, Jennifer Currie and Jeannette Laster. Best wishes to Mamie Johnson, Jane Hansen, Jill Satterly, Tim Curry, Ann Jaworski and Robert Chatters on Saturday. Christopher Banks, Cheryl Siroshton, Mark Fisher, Teresa Eatherton, Jan Marie, Joan Antonich, Charlie Miller, Mark Gustofson, Christina Ethridge and Mary Scalise blow out the birthday candles on Sunday.
On Monday Wayne Manis, Ray Martin (70!), Peter Smith, Colleen Allison, Greg Kosareff, Jim Morris, Sue Spinazza-Halliday, Chris Fillios, Karen Pichotta, Kilie Ellison, Dan Ripley and Stan Purcell take another trip around the sun. Nov. 17 birthdays belong to my daughter Melani Oleson Gonzalez, Susan Weathers, Sally Richards, Kareen Link, Maddie Kate Hansen (21!), Neil Oliver and Laura Simon.
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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.