Love in every stitch and square

Last week, I wrote about the wonderful Holidays and Heroes event, the Post Falls Police Department and our area first responders. I also mentioned the ladies from Trinity Lutheran, who make homemade quilts for each child each year. This year, the St. George Catholic Church Piece Makers also contributed quilts to the cause, which I didn’t know. Now I do!

The backstory about why, in a day filled with so many blessings for these deserving children, the homemade quilts made such an impression on my heart. Probably 15 years ago, before becoming a volunteer, I was an observer at the Greyhound Park, taking it all in. I saw the tables piled high with the quilts and asked the ladies about them. A young boy and his assigned police officer approached the table and were told he could pick out any quilt to take home. The child was wide-eyed as he took his time looking at the many patterns. Finally, he found a favorite and hugged it tight.

After a pause, he looked at one of the women and politely and quietly asked if he could also have one for his little brother. “Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night crying because he’s cold,” the boy said.

And that, simply and gratefully, is why I’ve long had an affection for the Lutheran ladies who lovingly with each stitch create such a meaningful gift. Now I can add the Catholic ladies in my affection.

In my favorite Christmas movie, "It’s a Wonderful Life," there’s a sign on the wall of George Bailey’s office at the Building and Loan that reads, “All that you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”

The quilt ladies will be taking a bounty with them to Heaven.

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Since 2007, on the third Saturday of December, in cemeteries throughout the country, organizations will lay thousands of fresh wreaths on the gravesites of veterans through the Wreaths Across America program that includes Arlington National Cemetery.

In Coeur d’Alene the Kiwanis Club has spearheaded the program for several years. According to Kiwanian Kathy Bush, the group will lay 900 wreaths at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens, 7315 N. Government Way at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. She invites anyone who has a veteran hero buried at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens to come place one of the wreaths on their loved one’s grave along with the public wreath placing.

In Rathdrum American Legion Post 154 and Northwest Guardian Riders will hold their Wreaths Across America at Pinegrove Cemetery, 16114 N. Meyer Road, inviting the public to assist in placing over 280 wreaths, beginning at 9 a.m..

Gather the family, bundle up and participate in either of these two special events Saturday to honor those who’ve served our country. Remember. Honor. Teach.

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Happy birthday today to Jim Freeman, Austin Lee, Kim Buer and Denise Higgs. Tomorrow, Eve Knudtsen, Kyle Siegert, Angie Hatch, Jeannette Conroy, Sybil McCormack, Sandy Clemons, Amber Briles, John Medlock, Vicki Peoples, Karen Kastning, Tammy VanBrunt and James Forster will jingle the birthday bells. On Friday, Josef Dreps, Nellie Armstrong, Kerri Wilfong, Susan Schneidmiller, Cat Troy, Jann Kinnard, Brenda Young, Janelle Stimson, Anne Marie Toothaker, Travis Gardner and Austin Wuest celebrate frosty birthdays. On Saturday, Marci Clark, Pam Pereira, Mimi Eismann, Lori Dawson, Harmony Taylor, Dot Neirinckx and Tim Kastning take another trip around the sun. Celebrating on Sunday are Holly Kincaid, Lori Stanea and Cheyenne Peugh. Gingerbread birthday wishes to Randy Shaver, Tami Banker, Catherine Witham, Kris Wold, Krista Vandermark, Mike McDowell and our grandson, Jared Gonzalez, on Monday. Mary Williams, Celeste Mitten, Terry Cooper, Carol Prosser, Rene Darby, Ray Potter, Judy Cronin and Rick Monroe blow out the candles Dec. 19.

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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.