Community Thanks

WREATHS: Thanks to all who participated

The Coeur d'Alene Kiwanis Club would like to thank everyone who participated in National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 18. This is our third year to lay wreaths on veterans graves at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens. This year we laid 800 wreaths with more than 100 volunteers. We laid the wreaths in conjunction with more than 3,100 cemeteries and more than 2.4 million wreaths nationwide.

We laid seven ceremonial wreaths to honor each branch of service. We would like to thank Ret. Lt. Col. Richard Jurvelin, U.S. Army; Lance Cpl. Darien Allen, U.S. Marine Corps; Corpsman Kevin Glenn, U.S. Navy; Airman Robert Davis, U.S. Air Force; 3rd Class Petty Officer David Humlicek, U.S. Coast Guard; Michael Bibin for honoring our POW’s and MIA’s; and Theresa, James and Kayla Hart for laying the wreaths for all Gold Star families.

A huge thank you to TJ Harris and the crew at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens for letting us hold this event and helping us along the way.

We would like to thank Josh Owens and Tobico Transportation for delivering our wreaths, and we would like to thank Ashly from La Quinta Inns for making sure Josh’s stay was perfect and all details were taken care of for our truck driver.

We would like to thank the following people who participated in our program, Mayor and Mrs. Marie Widmyer for delivering the mayor’s message, Sydney Turner for singing the National Anthem and Trumpeter Jesse Harlan for blowing Taps. Thank you to Marty Behm who served as MC.

We could not have done this without all the donations to purchase the wreaths. We would like to thank the following organizations and people who donated: Northwest Specialty Hospital, Jan Halliday, Halliday Allstate Insurance, Adams Trimworks — Pat and Patti Adams, Affordable Restoration, Kasco of ID, Mountain West Bank, First Interstate Bank, Angela Erickson, Cathie Valenti, Members of the Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis, Barry and Marilyn Long, Pat Mitchell, Eric and Renee Fisher, Lavonne Vinson, Freda Campbell, Bethann and Peter Matousek, Kim Cummings, Jim DeShazer, Marty Behm, Carolyn Jorgensen, Charlie and Michelle Gonzales, Richard and Jill Jurvelin, Robert and Sandy Davis, Florine Dooley, Barb Pearse, Shirley and Don Linderg and Kelly Tuntland.

We will be laying wreaths again on Dec. 17, 2022, at 0900. If you are interested in donating a wreath, please use this link wreathsacrossamerica.org/ID0014 or email me at kathybush58@gmail.com. Wreaths are $15 apiece and if you have a loved one buried at Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens, we encourage you to come and place the wreath yourself.

KATHY BUSH

Club Secretary and Location Coordinator for Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens