Blue and white, black and orange for the win

Viking and Trojan fans were out in full force Saturday night and it wasn’t a sporting event between rivals. The annual Wine, Stein and Dine to benefit the Post Falls Education Foundation took place at the fairgrounds while the Coeur d’Alene Viking Booster Club’s annual auction brought out the blue and white at the Coeur d’Alene Inn.

For decades, our communities and enthusiastic alumni and patrons, dedicated volunteers and extraordinarily generous businesses in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls are responsible for raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for their respective schools. From educational grants, academics, athletics to the arts and those things not funded by tax dollars that enhance the overall learning experience.

The intangible by-product of these two events just may be the shining example to our young people that school spirit and showing up lasts far beyond graduation day. Here’s to the grown-up Vikings and Trojans who raise the bar on community involvement long after their school days are past.

Another reason I absolutely love where I live!

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At least a dozen or more times over the past 30-plus years, my photo in this column has been updated, as it has been this week. I know it’s barely the size of a postage stamp, but I like for my mug shot to actually look like the face I see every day.

I recall reading Dear Abby columns in my youth and then many years later realizing her column photo was frozen in time. I’m not sure it was ever updated during her life. I never wanted a reader to see me out and about and think, “Wow, she looks nothing like her photo, it must be an old one!”

So full-disclosure … my hair has grayed since I started writing this column at age 39 and I have happily earned wrinkles from a lifetime of laughing and my love of sunshine. To those readers I meet in person who say, “Gee, I thought you’d be taller,” nope, I’ve been 5-foot 2-inches tall most of my adult life, except when I wore platform shoes in the ‘70s. (yes, the comment about me seeming taller in print has been a regular observation I’ve heard for years!)

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Because it’s March and it’s North Idaho, in the week since the big wind storm followed by no small amount of snow, the first day of spring is forecast to reach 60 degrees. March is mischievous that way.

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Happy Main Street Birthdays today to Jack Pierce, Chris Englebrecht, Dawn Johnston, Lisa Jirkins, Julie Bjornson and Bret Merry. Tomorrow, Taryn Nicols, Kris Storey, Megan Merry, Troy Jones, Judey Brown (70!), Patsy Andres, Janet Batchelder and Tary Moliter celebrate. First day of spring birthdays for Pam Houser, Kristi Granier, Aaron Sadler, John Blanchette, Tad Thompson, Julie Clark, Carolyn Anderson and Matt Hansen on Friday. On Saturday, Brandie Chapman, Trey Bartoo, Luke Paul, Michelle Lewis, Marla Lopez, Trudie Chamberlan, Julie Billetz, Steve Hanson, Jaque Kress, Derek Teal and Jack Crawford turn the page on another year. Kinsley Morrison, Jessica Bonar, Beverly Larsen, Rich Anstine, Greg Cook, Jack Budvarson, Julie Perry, Katie Vaughan, Pam Adams, Boston Pierce, Cole Jaworski and Rob Carpenter frolic on Sunday. Monday birthdays for former Lake City Harmonizer Herb Severtson (96!), Tad Leach, Paul Ray, Lori Weaver, Julie Perry, Linda Lewis, Landon Stepro and Jacey Brockhoff. On March 24, Jerry Jaeger, Esther Paul and Nichole Frank have their cake and eat it, too!

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and a former publisher/editor with the Hagadone Newspaper division. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be reached on Facebook or via email at [email protected].