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Together again, split-shifters reunited

by KERRI THORESON/Main Street
| July 28, 2021 1:00 AM

Summer is high school reunion season and this year there’s double the fun since last year no reunions could take place. For the Coeur d’Alene High School classes of 1970 and 1971 there’s a certain serendipity as we celebrate our 50+1 and 50th reunions, respectively, this coming weekend.

During the Class of 1970’s senior year, aka "The Year of the Shift,” classes were held in the morning for the seniors and juniors. In the afternoon the sophomores and freshmen had classes. The present day Coeur d’Alene High School was under construction and is still referred to as the new high school by those of us who never attended school there.

The Class of '70 was the last class to graduate from the old high school that’s now Lakes Middle School and the Class of '71 was the first class to graduate from the new high school the next year.

So here we are a half century later in 2021 and much of this year’s reunion will be jointly attended, starting with the Friday evening mixer at Capone’s Pub on the Green at Ponderosa Springs golf course.

On Saturday afternoon '70 and '71 classes will cruise Lake Coeur d’Alene together. That night we go our separate ways with the Class of '70 banquet at the Coeur d’Alene Inn and the Class of '71 gathering at the Eagles Pavilion on 15th Street.

What those who are celebrating their 10th or 20th reunions might not realize just yet is how enduring and valued relationships and shared history become as the years go by.

Since our 40th reunion in 2010 our class has meet informally each month with a few dozen people showing up, including out-of-town classmates who happen to be visiting at any given time of year.

Our old Vikings from '70 share a lot of laughs, not so much reveling in the glory days of athletic or academic prowess, or even wishing that cheerleading outfit still fit. We talk about current events, grandchildren, retirement plans and travels and some days have to laugh out loud at all of the “parts” stories … which ones are falling apart or bionic. We’ve consoled each other at the loss of parents and the loss of fellow classmates.

In 2020 we met for "coffee" weekly via Zoom with classmates from around the country touching base and working through the many issues of navigating life in the COVID era. The Zoom meetings have continued and the weekly coffee in-person meet-ups have resumed, as well.

It’s a bountiful blessing to still be surrounded by a village of Vikings in the journey of life. These are my people and I’m grateful.

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Happy birthday today to Jan Nelson, Bekah Manderscheid, Cathy Werner, Zack White, Hank Wayman (80!), John Hensley (70!), Debra Wunderlich, Norm Loftin, Darrell Rickard and Karen Englestad. Tomorrow Tanya Peugh, Mark Anthony and Alisa Loftin-Ward do the birthday dance.

Putting on their party hats Friday are Sharmon Schmitt, William Disney, Jacob Hester (13!), Nicole Choquette, Terra Karl, Dianne Ansbaugh, Kalie Bell, Brenna Meehan and Peggy Coleman. On the last day of July Patricia Richardson (70!), Annabelle Disney, Bill Hamilton, Adam Durflinger and Tab Bray blow out their candles.

On the first day of August Tatiana Harrison, Bev Moss, David Noordam, Duane Oliver, Patricia Kaufman, Dennis Harlan and Dodge Gonzales will be celebrating. On Monday Austin Viles, Mandy Averill and Matt Odd are marking their birth dates. Wish Ronda Smithson, Jessica Hendricks and Steve Cox a happy birthday on Tuesday.

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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.