Honoring local heroes year-round

This past spring, I received a call from Jonathan Gillham, communications coordinator for the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners. After introductions, he said that Commissioner Leslie Duncan had asked him to contact me about the possibility of creating an informational video about the Ronald D. Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza, which is located on the county’s administration and courthouse campus. I’ve served as the plaza’s curator since my father’s death in 2004.

We communicated a few more times to brainstorm ideas and then on a sunny morning in the middle of July, Jonathan and I met in the plaza. There was no script, just an organic conversation that Jonathan filmed, similar to the background information and stories I’ve told to a number of small groups who’ve requested tours over the past two decades.

Jonathan’s interest went beyond a work assignment. He’s also a U.S. Army combat veteran, serving from 2012-15 and including a deployment to Afghanistan, so the monuments and memorials are personal. He did a wonderful job of condensing our conversation to a 6-minute video that honors all of the local heroes represented there.

The video fittingly went live this week on Veterans Day and can be found on the Kootenai County website, www.kcgov.us, and selecting Stay Connected and then YouTube.

Especially for those who are newer to our communities, this video provides context to a public space. There are so many parks and places that bear the names of local people who are no longer among us. Perhaps the cities can do similar projects to bring the past to the present day and enhance our sense of community as we continue to grow.

Thank you, Jonathan and the Board of Commissioners for celebrating the past and respecting the sacrifice of our local heroes through the generations.

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If any scout troop, school group or civic or service organization would like a personal tour of the plaza, contact me at the email address at the end of this column.

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‘Tis the season for our beautiful migrating bald eagles' return to Lake Coeur d’Alene to feast on spawning kokanee salmon. From mid-November until very early January, depending upon the availability of the food source, the public can quite easily see and admire 100+ of these incredible birds. For years, Higgens Point has been a personal favorite viewing area.

We do have eagles that make their home here full time but it’s the sheer numbers of the visiting eagles this time of year that makes it so spectacular.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Matt Backs, Cheyenne Tate, Desiree Janke, Timarie Lindquist, Tonya Yost, Kim Boise, Margaret Ogram, Jennifer Currie and Jeannette Laster. Best wishes to Mamie Johnson, Jane Hansen, Joan Antonich, Jill Satterly, Tim Curry, Ann Jaworski and Robert Chatters tomorrow. On Friday, Christopher Banks, Cheryl Siroshton, Mark Fisher, Teresa Eatherton, Jan Marie, Charlie Miller, Mark Gustofson, Christina Ethridge and Mary Scalise blow out the candles. Saturday birthdays will be celebrated by Wayne Manis, Ray Martin, Peter Smith, Colleen Allison, Greg Kosareff, Jim Morris, Sue Spinazza-Halliday, Chris Fillios, Karen Pichotta, Kilie Ellison, Dan Ripley and Stan Purcell. On Sunday, my daughter, Melani Oleson Gonzalez, Susan Weathers, Al Hassell, Sally Richards, Kareen Link, Maddie Kate Hansen, Neil Oliver and Laura Simon take another trip around the sun. My very first nephew, Leighton Scharf, Joe Krutulis, Dennie Thorpe, Gina Mote and Michelle Rielly will enjoy birthday cake Monday. On Nov. 19, Nate Ziegler and Debbi Thostenson turn the page on another year.

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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 thoreson.kerri@gmail.com.