The birthday boys' half century of celebration

When I first began penning this column for the Tribune in the early 1990s and later The Press, I would occasionally wish friends a happy birthday, especially if it was a milestone. Through the years, readers began sending me birthdays to include and for the past couple of decades, the Main Street Birthday Club has grown to over 2,000 annually. I love birthdays and being alive is certainly something to celebrate!

Early on, I learned that my friend, Art Flagan, and three of his good friends shared birthdates close together in August. These fellows were in their 30s when they first began marking the occasion together a half-century ago.

Octogenarians Art, Ed Hatter and Warren Bakes are still going strong and their birthdays are noted below. Sadly, Bill Stamps died in 2013.

Over the years, with their wives, they’ve taken trips including to Glacier Park, Leavenworth, Priest Lake and even to the opening of the Sheraton Hotel during Expo '74. They’ve cruised on the Sizzler and partied in the Hagadone Suite at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

This year, the “birthday boys” are celebrating at Beverly’s. “Life is simpler as we age,” Ed said.

Art, Nancy, Ed, Mike,Warren and Linda remind us of the blessing and beauty of enduring friendships and celebrating life while we’re living it. I look forward to wishing the boys many more happy birthdays.

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To those parents who tearfully dropped or sent their progeny off to college for the first time this month, just a reminder that Thanksgiving is just three months from now and Christmas vacation will soon follow.

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Happy birthday today to Crystal Shofner-Moore, Jared Phay, Matthew Behringer, Doris McCaulley and Kelly Chadderdon. Tomorrow, Ed Hatter, Brett Seright, Leanne Campbell, Mary Gomer, Cathy Smith, David Walrath, Cecilia Peterson and Lilliana Raynor blow out the candles. Friday celebrations for Art Flagan, Susie Heitstuman, Debbie Berger, Bobby Bunch, Donnie Goodnature and Rod Robins. On Saturday, Peggy Turrell, Karen Sorbel, Mike Dodge, Linda Fox, Lori Chissie, Sarah Rasmussen and Eric Burgeson blow out the candles. JJ Jaegar, Jeff Selle, Ali Shute, Angie Penzkover (50!), Rhonda Budvarson, Staci Anderson, Cindi Carlson (75!), Jack Mannschreck (80!) and Lydia Myers take another trip around the sun Sunday. On Monday, Sofia Armstrong, Pam Grenny, Cam Crollard, Juilianne Rinard, Perry Peterson, Warren Bakes, Irene Watkins, Troy Blood, Lita Balbin and Phil Higgs will celebrate. Jan Berry, Peggy Sawicki, Ed Mitchell, Mike Wood and George Forgacs do the birthday dance Aug. 27.

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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 rkthor52@aol.com.