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Trojans power Post Falls parade

| July 13, 2022 1:00 AM

Post Falls Trojans were everywhere in the Trojan Days Parade, which is pretty cool since it’s summer vacation and normally students are scattered hither and yon. But last Saturday, the student body was well-represented by the cheerleaders, dance team, wrestlers and football players.

The heavy lifting of the giant American flag, which has been provided every year for decades by Joe Doellefeld, was primarily done by the football players and wrestlers. The flag follows fire trucks from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue to start the parade.

Before the athletes took their position with the flag, KCFR Division Chief Jeryl Archer discovered in the lineup that the 1943 Seagraves engine he was driving had a dead battery. Jeryl and his wife, Sheri, enlisted the help of the boys to push the antique truck. I asked Jeryl if it was a “pop the clutch” scenario and he said he was teaching the youngsters some old-school tricks.

More of the Post Falls students and athletes did double duty after carrying the flag when they joined the Fallen Heroes entry to carry banners honoring area servicemen and servicewomen who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

School spirit and community pride are alive and well in Post Falls, Idaho, USA!

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When Vikings from Coeur d’Alene High School gather on Aug. 6 for an all-school reunion, it will be an afternoon and evening of experiencing the phenomenon of decades falling away, magically. We see each other as we once knew each other, while the reality of some wrinkles and graying of hair is merely amusing and inevitable. The cool upperclassmen of yesteryear are still cool. The underclassmen are still perceived as kids, despite qualifying for Medicare or Social Security. Like magic!

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. Vintage Vikings 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. There will be talk about current events, grandchildren, retirement plans, travels and some laughing out loud at all of the “parts” stories — which ones are falling apart or bionic. We’ve consoled each other over the loss of parents and the loss of fellow classmates.

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.

For information, see CHS All Class Reunion 2022 on Facebook.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Renee Lusby, Ingrid Yates, Mark Daanen, Julia Koontz, Becky Rider, Kris Mans, Brooke Hayden, Shirley Jarrell, Lisa Goodwin and Karen Applebee.

On Thursday, Bri Gilge, Dee Barnes, Kathleen Esquibel, John Lasher, Jim Lyons, Nancy Seright, Jaime Vanderpool and Dawnelle Garvey have their cake and eat it, too.

On Friday, Logan Virgil, Kris Siebers, Katie Mans, Laurel Flerchinger, Loretta Lyon, Angela Olson, Andreas John, Julie Ingram, Marisa Buffaloe, Brian Bunch, Wayne Huckabee and Glen Collins blow out the candles.

On Saturday, Sandi Morrison, Yvonne Smith, Marcy Clutter (60!), Rich Doughty, Cindy Wiedmer, Patrick Ryan and Doug Jaworski celebrate.

Steve Roberg, Terry Werner, Callie Cabe, John Malloy, Erik Nelson, Rick Souza, Janet Brock, Belinda Rowe, Amber Flinn, Lori Larkin and Emily Crawford take another trip around the sun on Sunday.

Eric Wurmlinger, Jessica Ohlig, Annette Davis, Kathy LaTourrette, Dustin Peacock, Lori Nelson, Sandie Husby, Joanne Anglin and Cody Jones put on their party hats on Monday.

July 19 is the anniversary of the birth of David Kilmer, Maria Dawson, Brooke Skidmore-Wood, Vic Grilli, Hillary Main, Sherri Dust and Micheala Cocoran Hall.

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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