Once a Viking, always a Viking

As per tradition, once a class has marked 55 years since graduation, they plan and host the All Class Reunion. The Class of '70 is up to the task and has enthusiastically embraced the 2025 effort, meeting for the past year to organize the event. For the first time, you can register and pay online via a QR code! Looks like you can teach old dogs new tricks.

In 2025, there’s a location change to the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and a move from July to September for the event. Both changes were the result of attendee feedback over the last few years.

Another change is to two ticket prices, $45 includes a barbecue dinner and $15 to attend without dinner.

Attendees are also invited to bring their classic or vintage four-wheeled cars to the reunion car show. There's no fee to enter or vehicle year restrictions for the Show and Shine.

Reunion registration forms are available via the official Facebook page, CHS All Class Reunion 2025, [email protected] or by contacting the following committee members:

Dale Bennett 208-640-6682, [email protected]; Tim Shepperd 208-664-8398, [email protected]; Mary Sanderson 208-775-4465, [email protected]; Aleta Sadler English 208-755-3308, [email protected] or Kerri Rankin Thoreson 208-651-7343, [email protected]

The Golden All Class Reunion tradition began in the early 1980s when the Coeur d'Alene High School classes of the 1930s reached 50+ year status. The classes back then were much smaller, so a couple of classes combined for a 50-year reunion banquet at the North Shore, now The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

At some point, likely in the '90s, the tradition of the class that was five years past their 50th reunion would take responsibility for organizing the Golden All-Class reunion that year.

When vintage Vikings from Coeur d’Alene High School gather Sept. 6 for the all-class 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, pounds 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. It’s magic!

Last year, the most senior attendee was 101 years young, Bea Fisher, Coeur d'Alene High School Class of 1941. Bea was accompanied by two of her sons, Tom (CHS '70) and Steve (CHS ‘67), making it a real family affair. If you're a Viking from 1975 or earlier, join the fun.

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Happy birthday today to Tracey Fouche, George Evjen, Brenda Knight, Rick Marshall, James Fulton, Shirleen Jacobs, Christine Maiani, Kelli Aiken and Tom Wood. Tomorrow, Bill Kinder, Cindi Wimmer, Greg Delavan, Bob Nonini, Billie Collins and Dan Dahl (80!) put on their party hats. Aug. 8 birthdays will be celebrated by Sara Meyer, Jodi Anderson, Eli Yates, Jeff Humphrey, Ken McMeans, Virginia Griggs, Jim Hollingsworth, Jennifer Bokma, Heidi Phillips-Allen and Patty Collins. On Saturday, Anne Anderson, Terry Morris, Jack Havens, Kyle Patterson and Christian Strailman (30!) blow out the candles. Jeff Grundon, Caryl Johnston, Sydney Sales, Jeremy Morris, Chelsea Cordova, Bonita Koontz, Tim Symons and John Hammon mark the anniversary of their birth Sunday. Jennifer Jaeger-Darakjy, Ann Seddon, Phyllis Berry, Erin Valente, Lisa Bell and Edith Uhl pop the cork to celebrate Monday. Joe Paisley, Stacey Berger, Jennifer Pitts, Ed Collins, Claudia Hurt, Deena Krobath, Roger Saterfiel, Ronda Nash, Mariah Silva, Julie Hunt, Jennifer James and Nevaeh Witherspoon take another trip around the sun Aug. 12.

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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 email, [email protected].