So much more than just a parade

It’s well-established that I love the Fourth of July. I can’t imagine anywhere else to celebrate the Fourth of July other than Coeur d’Alene. Since we moved here in the mid-'60s, when I was in junior high and living in the historic John T. Wood house on Ninth and Sherman, the Fourth of July has been a very special time in Lake City. Sitting on the front porch of that big old house to watch the parade, taking my younger siblings in the kiddie parade, watching the fireworks from City Beach ... it was idyllic.

As an adult, I’ve accompanied floats, driven grand marshals and only last year passed the announcing microphone to Amy Bartoo after more than a dozen years in the skybox.

In 2007, as a centenarian, the late Ace Walden was honored as grand marshal of his hometown’s Fourth of July parade and I was honored to drive him along the route. I got a little choked up seeing the absolute joy and delight on his face in my rearview mirror as Ace greeted old friends along the way. In front of us were the uniformed honor guard from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department. The tree-lined street was filled with families and flag-waving. It was about as good a moment anyone could have, a Norman Rockwell vignette in real life. The last time 100-year-old Ace had appeared in the parade? As a 12-year-old with his Scout troop!

So why do I bring up the Fourth of July several weeks out, you ask? Well, the announcement of Charlie Nipp as this year’s grand marshal brought a smile to my face. How perfectly perfect!

Charlie has fond memories of walking with his parents and siblings from their home just north of the courthouse to watch the Fourth of July parade every year. His love of his hometown was later cemented in tragedy when he was just 16 and his father died in an accident. Coeur d’Alene embraced his widowed mother and her children. His coaches and teammates at Coeur d’Alene High School kept him going. He played on the Vikings state championship basketball team as a senior in 1963. Charlie went on to college, returning to Coeur d’Alene with a wife and for over half a century has made a life and home here with Susan and their sons, Ryan and Devin.

While Charlie is known as a successful businessman, it’s his heart for giving of himself through the years that sets him apart. Charlie Nipp is a good and decent man.
My only regret when I heard the announcement of his selection as grand marshal ... I no longer own a convertible to offer my services as driver.

Congratulations, Charlie, I’ll wave from the crowd on the Fourth of July!

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John and Tina Hough have called the historic Roosevelt Inn Bed and Breakfast home for 26 years, one month and three days. The sale of the inn was final Friday, and Tuesday, the Roosevelt’s last guests checked out.

The Houghs closed on a townhome in downtown Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday, too. They’re building their forever home in Harrison. The end of an era, the beginning of a new life for Tina and John!

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Last week, I spoke to the class during the Coeur d’Alene Chamber’s Leadership Coeur d’Alene Media Day. The invitation was extended by organizers from last year’s Leadership class, Nicky Swayne and Dain Adams, who were gracious in their hospitality.

The Class of 2025 is the largest class for Leadership Coeur d’Alene, a program that was established in 1985. My time slot was directly following lunch, but this group was engaged and attentive. It wasn’t lost on me that many in the room were either in elementary school or yet to be born when I began writing a weekly newspaper column in 1990. It’s truly encouraging to see a new generation of difference makers learning about what makes their community tick and opportunities for involvement. They each make a one-year commitment to attend the monthly daylong classes.

Here’s a bold-face Main Street mention to Leadership’s Class of 2025 ... Roy Aeschlimann, Sarah Martin, Tammie Smith, TJ Kast, Tricha Waldo, Julie Krapfl, Katie Spiker, Kenny Louie-Magee, Lee Brainard, Lindsey Beacham, Mallory Shipley, Mary Anderson, Rebecca Smith, Rob Timmons, Collin, Furkawa, Dani Carrico, Dominic Maiorana, Dustin Erickson, Elizabeth Westenberg, Erin Halleman, Heather Morgan, Jaylene Crosby, Jeremy Hyle, Angie Meadows, Anita Parisot, Cole Coba, Cara Nielsen, Brock Tenney, Annie Parker, Bof Schmidt, Brenna Cowan and Bethany Parker.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Shirlee Wandrocke, Michele Heuer, Tyson Bell, Scott Shellman, Barbara Jordan, Dane Dugan, Donnie Shuck, John Caylor, Melissa Feusier, Vance Ackley and Judy Padilla. Tomorrow, Louisa St. John Durkin, Star Shewey, Tiffany Williams, Jeff Pryse, Butch Andrews, Donnie Shuck and Pehr Black celebrate. Matt Weaver, Justin Curtis, Sheila Spears, Jenny Prince, Chip Wideen, Chloe Fleming and Becky Bridges will enjoy birthday cake Friday. Happy last day of May birthdays to Ron Shoop, Trey Barker III, Cindy Wood, Craig Singer, Lindsay Cantrell, Peggy Suenkel, Diane Huber and Meredith Close. On the first day of June, Sandy Shopbell, Dave Stutzke, Shannon Coles, Debbie Costa, Patrick Booth, Drake Foster, Mason Alexander, Tresa Brown and Vicki White take another trip around the sun. On Monday, Al Williams, Mike and Mitch Alexander, Nancy Mueller, Brenda Walters, Irene Seidler and Nels Jensen whoop it up. JoAnn Nelson, Mitch Heid, Scott Osburn, Matthew Huthinson, Kathy Larson, Devin Weeks (40!), Sharon Timmons, Susan Mensching and Matt Boseth start Tuesday on a birthday note.

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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.