Historic church and school in the spotlight

Twice a year, in May and September, the Pleasantview Community Association holds a public breakfast at the historic Pleasantview School to help fund restoration projects. The school, opened in 1910, is a registered historical site in Idaho as well as on the National Register of Historic Places.

As always, the Cowboy Breakfast at the old Pleasantview School attracts interesting people with wonderful stories. In addition to the homemade biscuits, gravy and jams, tours of the building are one of the fun things about the breakfast, too. There’s a bell tower with a bell for the ringing, an antique wood stove and many artifacts from the days the building welcomed schoolchildren to class.

There’s a framed and yellowed calligraphy on the wall of the school titled Honor Roll. It appears to be an enlistment registry, likely of one-time Pleasantview School students during World War I, in 1917 and 1918. There are young men from the same families on the list, brothers or cousins perhaps.

Experiencing the Cowboy Breakfast and the historic school is a wonderful outing for families and anyone interested in local history. Proceeds this year will be used to install a security fence. Saturday 8-11 a.m., all-you-can-eat just $12 per person, family pricing available.18724 W. Riverview Drive, Post Falls.

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Another opportunity to support a historical building in Post Falls is coming Thursday, May 15, the 20th Anniversary Gala Celebration at the Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center. Two decades ago, the historic church was slated for demolition before the community, led by the Jacklin family, came to the rescue. With generous financial contributions and tons of sweat equity, the beautiful building is now the place where the arts are celebrated. From concerts to cooking classes, events and art exhibits it’s a very special place. There's also a bell in the bell tower!

The Roaring '20s-themed event is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets: 208-457-8950 or www.thejacklincenter.org

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The summer market season is upon us. The Rathdrum Craft and Farmers Market is every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rathdrum Lions Club building at 16114 N. Meyer Road. 

Since 1986, the Kootenai County Farmers Market has featured fresh, locally grown produce, local artisans’ wares and live music in the southeast corner of U.S. 95 and Prairie Avenue on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Now, the Wednesday Market on Main Street in Riverstone, from 4 to 7 p.m., is another opportunity for fresh locally grown vegetables and crafts.

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As we celebrate mothers Sunday, a special hug for those mothers who’ve outlived their children, for mothers who’ve fostered and adopted, the mothers who are raising their children as single parents, the neighborhood moms who heap love on their children’s friends, the stepmothers who embrace a challenging path, the mothers who’ve made the difficult but loving decision to place their child for adoption. We see you all.

Motherhood isn’t one size fits all; the heart of a mother is as big as the sky and deep as the ocean.

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Happy Birthday today to Lisa Aitken, Kris Phillips, Chris Moore, Randy Williams, Ruby Johnson, Pete Shepperd, Kathie Brack, Rob Rinard Jr., Rena Pruitt, Ramona Kaiser, David Dasher and Phil Pyseky. Tomorrow, Olivia Backs (13!), Chalee Atkinson, Shirley Kincaid, Matt Barkley, Stephie Clinton, Julie Adamchak, Tiffany Teal, Lindsey Sales, Nic Riorden and Jared Raynor do the birthday dance. On Friday, Colleen (Cokie) Hough (96!), Allan Aitken, Tara Dagastine, Carrie Holdren, Valerie Emery, Bonnie Clark and Carla Noonan take another trip around the sun. Coltan and Cadan Virgil (21!), Shelly Servick, Don Smock, Shelly Matthews, Pearl Bouchard, David Dickinson, Margie Adams, Zena Baltzell and Bonnie McDowell (96!) celebrate Saturday. Mother’s Day birthdays for Anne Hagman, Jason Mealer, Nick Thorpe, Debra Altman, Anthony Skarisky, Stephanie Knox, Chad Todd and Sharon Culbreth. Mary Rawlsky, Allison Cook, Lynette Walsh, Bob Hoskins, Jason Penzkover, Craig Ziegler (75!), Olivia Jacobsen (21!), Wyatt Dickinson and Jon Brewer put on their party hats Monday. Kathy Hlebichuk, Steve Pollard, Tim Cushman, Judy Brooks, Charlie Morris and PJ Christo start the week with a birthday jig on lucky May 13.

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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.