This will be the ninth Father's Day without mine, and cause for reflection. What I will most recall of that life-changing day when this "Daddy's Girl" lost hers, is that I hadn't really lost my dad at all. I have a lifetime of memories and lessons learned, not the least of which is that through selfless giving the circle of life is unbroken.

In life my father gave blood regularly for decades, his name appearing on the donor wall at the Inland Northwest Blood Center. In death he was an organ donor, his corneas giving sight. It pleases me beyond words to know that somewhere out there, two people are viewing the wonders of the everyday world through my father's eyes. In my heart of hearts I hope that one of the recipients is a daddy, able to see the love in his own daughter's eyes this Father's Day.

As a longtime Reader's Digest reader, I loved seeing a photograph of Post Falls' littlest warrior, Sophie Medlock, on the inside back cover of the June edition, in an ad for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Four-year-old Sophie just completed two years of grueling treatment and is shown in her trademark pink cap with the words, Cancer Fears Me. Yes it does, Miss Sophie!

Lidwina Dirne lived a remarkable 97 years of life, setting an example of service we'd all do well to aspire to. She changed lives, a legacy that will transcend her own. Rest in peace.

Friday is Flag Day and we'll mark the 236th anniversary of the Continental Congress approving the design for our nation's flag, which they did on June 14, 1777. If you'd like to celebrate the flag on Friday, American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls is holding a Flag Day ceremony, open to the public and beginning at 6 p.m.

Last year we had great fun when the Big Idaho Potato Tour rolled through town ... what's not to love about Spuddy Buddy. On Friday the Tillamook Loaf Love Tour will make a stop at Super 1 Foods in Post Falls from noon to 6 p.m. The Baby Loaf tour trucks are kind of cute, the color of cheddar and all. But I'm not sure the giant Idaho potato on a flatbed truck or the Weinermobile are too worried about the pop culture competition. I might have to go by and check out Baby Loaf and say "cheese!" though.

This coming weekend is all about Dads ... Friday night Car d'Lane cruises down Memory Lane for us long timers who actually cruised Sherman Avenue in some of the cars you'll be admiring. The event continues with the downtown car show on Saturday. On Sunday, celebrate Father's Day with breakfast by the Hauser Lions Club at the Hauser Lake Fire Station from 7 a.m. to noon. Then head to Spirit Lake for their annual Big Back In lawn mower street drags. Yep, it's racing lawn mowers and it's something to see. It starts at 11 a.m. on the two block long main street, which is actually named Maine Street. You'll be amazed at some of these machines ... riding lawn mowers on steroids!

Happy Birthday today to Nicci Cushman, Vivian Worth, Father Roger LaChance and Kamryn Peacock and tomorrow to Meg Andrews, Ann Heinen, Jacklyn Holovka and Dave Siroshton. Flag Day birthdays are celebrated by Oskar Owens, Christina Hatfield, Don Morgan, Chris Doyle, Lisa Odenberg, Carmen Myklebust, Brandon Bedwell and Steve Bruno. On Saturday Sharon Bruno, Jody Piper, John McMurray, Richard Wegner, Taylor Brockhoff, Bob Friske and Joe Hutchinson will blow out their birthday candles. Sunday is the birthday of Tim Shepperd, Jay Troy, Bill Dick, Desiree Barclift, Brenda Gabriel, Frank Bybee, Stephen Parmentier, Shelly Cunnington, Richard Wegner and Rebecca Morelli. Monday's birthday girls are Raydeane Owens, Susan Reilly, Vicky Houle, Brenda Gabriel, Jesse Bishop, Leigh Cossette, Jennifer Smith and Dana Scholwinski. On Tuesday Jim Hammond, Wanda McLean, Sean Watson, Joey Flood and Bob Thomas will celebrate another trip around the sun.

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 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Contact Kerri at mainstreet@cdapress.com or find her on Facebook!