'God winks' and good will abound

The Holidays and Heroes program began in Post Falls over 25 years ago. The Post Falls Police Department has taken the lead since the beginning, in conjunction with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and all of the first responding agencies in Kootenai County and the surrounding area. 

On a Sunday morning in early December for nearly 20 of those years, Bert and I have volunteered as "secret shoppers,” covertly accompanying a first responder and their assigned child. It's become a treasured holiday tradition for us. Every year it seems there’s an unexpected “God wink” moment that touches my heart. 

The child has no idea that while they're shopping for their family with the officer, deputy or firefighter, the secret shoppers have a list for them, so they'll be surprised when they open presents on Christmas Day. 

We love being part of that Christmas surprise and participation has opened our eyes to the generosity of those who donate to the program, the many volunteers at the Greyhound Park who wrap hundreds of presents, the Post Falls Trojan basketball players doing heavy lifting and Lutheran ladies who sew handmade quilts for each child. There are photos with Santa ... in a beautiful royal blue Santa suit.

There has never been extravagance on the children's lists, just hopeful wishing for something special. We all know how prices have gone up on everything, especially on essentials, but already struggling families have been hit especially hard. It’s humbling and heartbreaking when the children want to buy items like toilet paper, shampoo or laundry detergent as a gift for their family.

We were teamed up again this year with Post Falls Police Officer Tyler Morris, a local boy who, as an adult, achieved his goal of a law enforcement career not quite two years ago.

After we shop our list, we go to the Greyhound Park, where all of the holiday magic happens. We headed to one of the dozen or so gift wrapping tables with the cart of gifts for Officer Morris’ assigned child, a 7-year-old boy. The volunteer wrappers at that table were from Gesa Credit Union. As I talked with them about the youngster whom we’d shopped for, one of the wrappers said that about 15 years ago, he’d participated in the Holiday and Heroes program. He shared how special it was for him as a 7-year-old to have such an experience and that he still has the business card of the police officer he was paired with that year.

Now, as a young man in his 20s, here he was with his employer, volunteering and giving back. A full circle “God wink” if there ever was one.

So much gratitude for all of the men and women in uniform who brighten the day and perhaps the future of the youngsters in our communities. A timely reminder that "maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

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After leaving the Greyhound Park, across town, we enjoyed a late breakfast at the Hauser Lake Fire Station. For 39 years, they’ve held Shalena’s Breakfast with Santa. All proceeds from the event are dedicated to a local family experiencing a child with cancer. This year’s beneficiary is 8-year-old Myla of Rathdrum.

We arrived just before 11 a.m. and the station house was still a steady stream of attendees greeted by smiling volunteers. The breakfast was impressive, and the Christmas spirit was everywhere.

If you’re one of those who think our small-town feel and sense of community are a thing of the past, we were able to experience it up close and personal at the Greyhound Park with Holidays and Heroes and with the Hauser Lake Fire volunteers in a few short hours Sunday morning. 

In my favorite Christmas movie, "It’s a Wonderful Life," there’s a sign on the wall of George Bailey’s office at the Building and Loan that reads, “All that you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Cheyenne Peugh, Holly Kincaid and Lori Stanea. Tomorrow, Kris Wold, Randy Shaver, Tami Banker, Catherine Witham, Krista Vandermark, Mike McDowell and our grandson Jared Gonzalez turn the page on another year. Mary Williams, Celeste Mitten, Terry Cooper, Carol Prosser, Rene Darby, Ray Potter, Judy Cronin and Rick Monroe blow out the candles Friday. On Saturday, Will Kennedy, Jim Sharp, Jayson Frank, Dean Swanson, Holly Miller, Lisa Turpin and Rick Blaski dance around the Christmas tree. Jeremiah Hazard, Angela Wilson, Brad Miles, Lily Ann Carpenter, Jann Chatters, Rayna Solberg and Muni Kumar unwrap their birthday presents Sunday. On Monday, the one and only Kelly Hughes, Brad Penske, Michelle Neal and Rita Sims Snyder sing a birthday carole. On Dec. 23, Jake Pereira, Samantha Lickfold, Lance Mitchell, Monica Hillard and Wayne Reichenberg get their ho! ho! ho! on. 

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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 [email protected].