Main Street Sept. 22, 2010:

"In the role of observer and chronicler of our communities, I'm often a step removed. But one cannot live here without sometimes becoming a part of what goes on. The deployment send-off of the Idaho Army National Guard was just such a moment.In my capacity as a Post Falls city councilor I was honored to join mayors Clay Larkin and Vic Holmes in a greeting line. But I was also there as the aunt of one of those soldiers, with my sister, Janna and nephew, Dallas. After all of the deploying members of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team spent an hour or two with their families hugging their goodbyes and were set to board the buses, we shook each soldier's hand and had a personal exchange. Some were still teenagers and most were older. Some were leaving behind wives and husbands, many leaving behind young children. There were parents, grandparents and siblings there to see their soldiers off.

The emotion was not just visible it was palpable. My heart broke a hundred times over for one young boy who called out "goodbye Daddy!" through his sobs as his father boarded the bus. These volunteer soldiers have a job to do, one they're well-prepared for, in Iraq. As they drove away in the buses and I looked around at the crowd of family members I realized that all of us also have a job to do. We need to show our gratitude for these soldiers' service by making sure their families are not alone in their sacrifice."

As news came late last week of the two casualties of war in Baghdad from the 116th, our community's collective heart was broken. Spc. Nick Newby and Spc. Nathan Beyers leave behind not only family and friends but unfulfilled dreams for a future that ceased to exist on July 7, 2011. As I reread the last line of the column I wrote last September the words rang clearly ... we need to make sure these soldiers' families are not alone in their sacrifice.Rest in peace Nick and Nathan and God speed your recovery SSG Jason Rzepa. To all of our soldiers and their families please know that as a community and as a nation we share your loss and are grateful for your service.

***When you take a sweet little girl who is diagnosed with cancer, add a much-loved local family and an incredibly caring community you get a day like this past Saturday. Live music, auctions, fun, friends and a determination to ease the burden for Jake and Nicole Medlock while they see their daughter, Sophie through the ordeal of treatment was a pleasure to behold. Definitely the latest installment of "I love where I live."***

Some days I marvel at the extraordinary people who make such a difference in so many lives. Drs. Paul and Lorna Finman are two such examples. Their STAR Discovery Bus debuted this week along with Disco Tech, the robot. The students at the Summer Robotics Program were thrilled to interact with the robot and tour the bus, which will bring STAR Science Center exhibits and learning opportunities to students at their schools ... kind of reverse field trips. What an incredible resource to ignite the imagination of our next generation of leaders and educators!***

Happy Birthday today to Ingrid Yates, Mark Daanen and Karen Applebee. Tomorrow Kathleen Esquibel and Dee Barnes are tomorrow's birthday girls. Friday Kris Siebers, Andreas John, Wayne Huckabee, Marisa Buffaloe and Glen Collins will blow out the birthday candles. Sandi Morrison, Cindy Wiedmer, Patrick Ryan, Rich Doughty, Doug Jaworski and Marcy Clutter celebrate their birthdays on Saturday. Best wishes for a happy birthday on Sunday to Lori Larkin, Terry Werner, Erik Nelson, Cherie Bates, Janet Brock, Josh Beebe, John Condon, Amber Flinn, Belinda Rowe and Emily Crawford. Next week starts with birthday celebrations for Jessica Ohlig, Darrel Kirking and Sandie Husby on Monday and Bill Noordam, David Kilmer, Hillary Main and Michaela Corcoran on Tuesday.***

THERE'S MORE: New stories and photos almost every day at More Main Street. There's a link also for adding your birthday to the Main Street Birthday Club!***

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2010 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. More Main Street blog is at http://moremainstreet.blogspot.com. Listen to Main Street Monday on KVNI AM1080. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com