Skybox swan song brings nostalgia

A dozen years ago, when I was doing morning radio on KVNI, I accepted the invitation by the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce to announce the Fourth of July parade. Since the 1960s, when we first moved to Coeur d’Alene (population 15,000) and lived in the beautiful John T. Wood house on Sherman Avenue and Ninth Street, the Fourth of July became a favorite for me every year. From our wrap-around front porch, family friends would be invited to join us for parade viewing and a fried chicken picnic. My younger siblings loved participating in the kiddie parade, decorating their wagons, bikes and even the family dog to march down Sherman Avenue to Playland Pier with the reward of an ice cream cone for participants.

Through the years, I’ve loved this parade, and driving Grand Marshal Ace Walden when he was 101 years old is definitely a high point.

To me, no matter how the town has grown or changed, the Fourth of July parade is a constant, a slice of Americana that for a couple of hours on Coeur d’Alene’s “Main Street,” all of the things that our community and country once was and still is, are right there displayed in red, white and blue. It's like a giant family/community reunion.

For the 11th time in 12 years (2020 saw the first-ever cancellation of the parade and fireworks), I’ll climb the ladder up into the announcer’s skybox and spend a couple of hours having the time of my life, with the best parade view ever. Several years ago, I convinced hometown boy Scott Hough (Sounds Great Mobile DJ) to join me as the wheeled (on skates) wingman on the street, and I’m grateful for his generous donation of time and talent to entertain. Scott has a long history with the Fourth of July parade as well. His father, the late Bob Hough, was a highlight of the parade for many years. Bubble Head Bob was a well-known and much-loved DJ, famous for roller skating up and down the route with a microphone and speaker, broadcasting live to KVNI listeners. Scott’s niece and nephew, Julianne Hough and Derek Hough, have appeared with the family in the parade and joined their family in the skybox bleachers.

My late father, Ron Rankin, was for years a fixture in the parade, riding atop a tank with the Marine Corps League and fellow Chosin Few combat vets. So many great memories through the years.

2022 will be my skybox swansong, capping a dozen years of Fourth of July parade volunteering at the ripe old age of 70. I've often said I'd keep doing it as long as I can climb that ladder, but I don't want to push my luck. Instead of the usual location in front of The Resort Plaza Shops between Second and Third streets, Curtis Ormesher and his ROX Music team will erect the scaffolding for the skybox and speakers at Sixth Street and Sherman. Scott Hough will lead spectators of all ages in a pre-parade dance party in the street, which is a really fun way to pass the time until the first entry makes it to downtown.

I couldn’t be more thrilled that for my finale as announcer to have two of my favorite people on the planet being honored. Vietnam veteran and prolific advocate for veterans, Lew Allert, is Numerica’s Honored Veteran. He’s a Marine through and through, a world-class hugger and one of the good guys our community is blessed to have among us.

And then there’s Grand Marshal Mikki Stevens, a 1966 CHS alum who came back to her hometown to spread the message of joy and laughter for the last three decades with her Red Hot Mamas. Being around Mikki just makes me want to be a better person. She’s a bright light and spreader of sunshine and absolutely embodies the Spirit of America.

A huge thank you to all of those entrants who will participate in Monday’s parade, donating their time on a national holiday to entertain and amuse literally thousands of people who will happily line Sherman Avenue. There will be memories made, youngsters who many years from now will similarly wax nostalgic about how special the Fourth of July is in our little corner of the world.

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Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

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Happy birthday today to Jessica Zazueta, Brandan Stone, Neil Conner, Kiley Archer, Krystal Gordillo, Kiley Nick, Lyndon Harriman and Carolyn Havens. On the last day of June Patty McGinnis, Kyle Rutley, Terry Williams, Katie Disney, Kimberly Carlson and Rosie Brown blow out the candles. First day of July birthdays are celebrated by Tim Riordan, Arlene Reichenberg, Bill Brown, Terry Alexander, Chris Harrison, Byron Hamby and Mark Johnson. Saturday Tonya Glinsky, Jim Dennison and Ted Wright will celebrate another trip around the sun. On Sunday Jeff Ward, Dana Merritt and Mark Durant celebrate. On Monday the United States of America, Jedidiah Riley, Brent Regan, Jennifer Locke, Joscelyn Ramsey, Jake Campbell, Keri Roybal, Dan Brockway, Sr., MaryBeth Matthews, Dick Lind, Tyson Chamberlain, Britnee Davenport, Jack Smetana, Glenda Johnson, Amber Hunt, Teresa Espe, Orla Kahl and father and daughter, KD and Keely Spalding are celebrating star-spangled birthdays. Tuesday birthdays will be marked by Steve Hanson, Laurie Schwenke, John Beutler, Chris Hollibaugh, Kaila Hansen and Amy Dreps.

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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.