'Awesome town' celebration
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 9 months AGO
Finnley Bozeman of Coeur d'Alene smiles during the 2022 Rathdrum Days Parade July 16.
BILL BULEY/Press file
Members of the Horton family, from left, Mary, Amy and Merinda, joined by their dog Shasta, wave during the Rathdrum Days Parade.
Cheerleaders show spirit during the Rathdrum Days Parade.
Liz Jones, left, and Kim Brown carry the DAR banner through the Rathdrum Days Parade.
The Color Guard from American Legion Post 154, from left, Brian Bledsoe, Ken Johnson and Len Crosby, lead the Rathdrum Days Parade on Saturday.
Sheree Greenfield talks to kids during the Rathdrum Days Parade.
Rathdrum Days Parade Grand Marshal Bob Jones gets horse-powered ride on Saturday.
Kids sit by a cutout figure of Jesus Christ in Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church entry in the Rathdrum Days Parade.
Spotlight Studios' cheerleaders perform during the Rathdrum Days Parade
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | July 17, 2022 1:07 AM
RATHDRUM — As Sheree Greenfield handed out lollipops to kids during the Rathdrum Days Parade on Saturday morning, she asked a question.
“Hi, you guys,” she said to several children sitting on the curb on Main Street. “Do you know why we’re here?”
To see the parade, one said. For candy, said another.
Good answers, but not the one the owner of Kelsey’s Bar in Rathdrum was looking for, so she told them.
“We’re here to celebrate the awesome town we live in and how lucky we are,” Greenfield said, as kids and adults cheered.
The annual celebration attracted thousands who lined Main Street for the hourlong parade.
With beautiful blue skies and sunshine, the setting was perfect as cheerleaders, horses, musical groups, a logging truck, politicians and even a cardboard cutout of Jesus made their way along the half-mile route.
“Great parade, great spirit and real small-town feel here in Rathdrum. We love it,” said Len Crosby, a member of the Color Guard from American Legion Post 154 that led the parade.
Veteran Ken Johnson agreed.
“It’s all about duty, honor and country,” he said.
Three generations of the Horton family took up a key viewing spot at the end of the parade route, waving and smiling, joined by their dog, Shasta.
“Love that we can all get together and celebrate something as a community,” said Merinda Horton, who was joined by her mom, Amy Horton, and her daughter, Mary Horton.
Amy Horton said she loved being part of the crowd.
“The community going together makes me happy,” she said.
Liz Jones and Kim Brown carried the Daughters of American Revolution banner throughout the parade. Their patriotism shined through as they wore blue-and-red shirts and waved American flags.
“A great hometown parade, lots of enthusiasm,” Brown said. “People are just out to have a great time.”
“It’s wonderful to go through your hometown and see all the kids,” Jones added.
Makayla Schickedanz was smiling as she pushed children Kade and Tatum in a stroller as she and others with Fit4Mom managed to do lunges and other exercises as they passed onlookers.
Even her six-year-old son, Liam, joined them, handing out popsicles and blowing bubbles.
It’s hard to work out consistently with your kids, Schickedanz said, but together, it can be done and they wanted to prove it in the parade.
“That’s what we’re all about,” she said.
Greenfield said, for the first time in 11 years, her late father’s 1965 silver convertible Mustang was in the parade, after some repairs were done.
It was awesome to have Harold Greenfield's famous ride back on display, Sheree said, but it still needs a little work.
“It’s overheating, so she had to go park it,” Greenfield said.
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