Marge Gannon thought she would only serve three years when she was first elected to the St. Maries school board.
When she steps down at the end of June, she will have served for 16 years, which makes her the longest serving trustee according to records.
After 16 years of serving as a trustee on the St. Maries school board Marge Gannon will not seek re-election at the end of her term this year. Mrs. Gannon said she plans to stay involved in the district through other avenues. She said she appreciates the community for giving her the opportunity to spend as many years as she did on the board.
“I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into,” Mrs. Gannon said. “I thought, ‘it’s one meeting a month, how hard can it be?’ I didn’t know at that time that it is not just one meeting a month.”
Mrs. Gannon initially decided to run in 1999 after she was approached by a trustee who would not be seeking the seat for the district in which they both lived.
“I was interested in schools, loved education and my family had really pushed it. I thought I would serve for a few years and I could say I got to do that once and it was a way I had served my community,” she said.
However, the more she learned about her role as a trustee, the more she began to understand the impact she could have on the direction of students’ lives. Her perspective changed and Mrs. Gannon began to pour herself into her work.
“I really had a passion for it,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve been as passionate for a career or foster care as I was for this. The exception is for my children and grandchildren, but I had the most drive for this.”
During her tenure, Mrs. Gannon witnessed several changes. Some of the biggest changes were in curriculum, graduation requirements and new policies on bullying and technology.
“Most of them were good changes,” she said. “We do have to think of teaching in a new way. It was hard for some to accept than others as we didn’t grow up with it. When I first started on the board, computers were used very little, but now they are used for everything.”
One of the most challenging years for Mrs. Gannon during her tenure was in 2008-2009 when the state cut school funding.
“That was one of the saddest things to go through,” she said. “The state pulled back and cut funding for schools and we had to depend more and more on supplemental levies. The financial crisis created mistrust between staff and the board. It was difficult.”
Mrs. Gannon recalled a meeting back in 2009 that lasted until the early hours of the morning.
“We didn’t know if were going to have to let anyone go, we didn’t, but we had to reduce benefits,” she said. “I thought about walking away, but my daughter said to me this is when the school needs you the most.”
Learning to read a school budget and all that it entails is something Mrs. Gannon has come to understand.
“When I started, I thought we have to pay for books and teachers. I didn’t understand what a budget was or all that it entailed. The scope of what needs to be paid was overwhelming, and still is,” she said.
While funding has always been a problem, Mrs. Gannon said it was also challenging at times to work with others. Mrs. Gannon said during the 16 years on the school board she “really learned to listen for the first time” to other points of view.
“You may not agree how you got there, but when you left you were supportive of each other because you were a team like it or not,” she said.
The most difficult issue to deal with as a board member was that of student discipline. She added the board’s response to discipline has changed, which has been positive.
“Rather than discipline, we wanted to find ways to work with a child so we could keep them in the education system, but still let them know there are repercussions,” she said. “We’ve learned in the last six or seven years not to expel unless of course it’s a situation where that is the only option.”
Despite the challenges of disciplining a child, it was rewarding when that child would succeed.
“To be able to hand a student who had come before us with a disciplinary issue a diploma really affected me,” Mrs. Gannon said. “It was probably the most heartwarming thing.”
Throughout her time on the board, Mrs. Gannon said she has worked with “some of the finest people ever.”
“I worked many years with Superintendent Dave Cox and he was my mentor,” she said. “No matter what came at him he always kept his cool. He taught me how to act and not to react. I will be forever grateful for that.”
She added Karen Robinson, board clerk, does a great job for the board and helped her keep a schedule. Mrs. Gannon said Superintendent Joe Kren really helped her understand policy and to write good policies for the district.
Mrs. Gannon said she is confident in the future of the district because of the people behind it. She said those on the board work hard and care for children. She said she is excited to see two individuals interested in her seat, which is up for re-election.
While Mrs. Gannon remains confident in the people behind the St. Maries school district, she is not very optimistic about funding for schools. She said she would like to see education be more of a priority for the state legislature.
“They have to make education important again; it hasn’t been for a number of years. A good educational system is what will keep young people, bring people here and bring in business,” she said. “The state must make it a cornerstone; instead it’s considered an enemy and is torn down by so many.”
Mrs. Gannon said it has been an honor to serve for so many years. She said she plans to stay involved in public education in other ways.
“I am so thankful to the people in this community who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to do this for so many years and to complete it,” she said. “It’s very humbling.”
Karl Wetter, a lifetime resident of Plummer, has published his 10th book.
This one is titled Poems Along the Trail and includes a collection of more than 70 poems Mr. Wetter has penned over his lifetime, with the earliest being from his high school years.
Local writer and historian Karl Wetter published his 10th book. This edition includes more than 70 poems he has authored during his lifetime.
“I’m no poet, but I did write poetry once in a while and I had so many of them that I thought I might as well make a book out of it,” he said.
Mr. Wetter grew up in Plummer the 10th of 11 siblings. He graduated from the University of Idaho in 1954 and served two years in the Army before returning home to work in local school districts while operating a ranch. He has since retired and lives just south of Plummer and maintains a 60-acre tree farm.
During his years Mr. Wetter has written and produced 10 books, most pertaining to the history of the area.
His most recent publication is available at local libraries. Proceeds from the sale of the book go back to the library.
A St. Maries man who was a teacher and coach and volunteered much of his time to his community was honored last weekend.
The late Robert “Marz” Marzulli was inducted into the Idaho State Athletic Hall of Fame at a special banquet Saturday, April 11.
The late Robert “Marz” Marzulli will be honored this weekend when he is inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame. Mr. Marzulli was a coach, teacher and community volunteer, who gave much of his time to help others.
For those who knew Mr. Marzulli the Hall of Fame honor is long overdue.
“I think it’s a great honor for him. Well deserved,” Jim Asher, a former St. Maries coach, said. “It’s too bad he can’t be a part of it. He didn’t make his name like a lot of huge coaches and players. He made his name in what he gave back to his community.”
Mr. Asher said Mr. Marzulli was one of the first people he met in 1984. He said he and Mr. Marzulli “became fast friends and fishing buddies.”
“He was a gruff, rough old guy, but all the kids, all the people loved him,” Mr. Asher recalled. “He didn’t have any kids, but all of St. Maries were his kids.”
Mr. Marzulli was the vocational education teacher at St. Maries High School from 1970 to 1990. He coached golf, basketball and football. He helped start the Little League and coached for 15 years. He started a youth football program and “Marz’s Mob,” a basketball program for elementary school children. He helped begin the Elk’s Hoop Shoot program as well as the Punt, Pass and Kick program for area children.
“Marz was really Mr. St. Maries,” Mr. Asher said.
Mr. Marzulli coached John Shepherd, a St. Maries businessman, when he played golf in high school. Mr. Shepherd said there were several qualities that made Mr. Marzulli a great coach.
“He got right to the point. There was no beating around the bush,” he said.
Mr. Shepherd said he first met Mr. Marzulli when he was four or five years old. He described Mr. Marzulli as “gruff, but with a tender heart.”
“He did so much for the kids and for the community,” Mr. Shepherd said. “He was always helping with something. Like with the Christmas baskets at the Elks. He was always there to organize and he took initiative and got things done.”
Rob Sather, a 1985 graduate of St. Maries High School who now works for Boeing, said Mr. Marzulli easily coached three generations, possibly four generations, of his own family. Mr. Sather said he knew Mr. Marzulli as long as he could remember.
“I knew him from since I was born. When I started playing basketball for him, my friends were scared to death of him, but I was used to it. It was just the way Marz was,” Mr. Sather said.
Ms. Sather said Mr. Marzulli was a “no nonsense guy.”
“He would tell you exactly what he was thinking, and he a lot of knowledge,” he said. “One thing that was cool is he always had the high school guys, the varsity players who were our heroes, come and help him. I remember when I was in high school I helped the younger kids, too,” he said. “Not all coaches can do that or even try.”
Mr. Sather and Mr. Shepherd recalled enjoying Final Four parties with Mr. Marzulli during college basketball and playing golf with him once they were out of high school.
Mr. Sather said it is “awesome” that Mr. Marzulli is being inducted in the Hall of Fame.
“It’s about time,” Mr. Shepherd said.
“The guy coached every sport at some point,” Mr. Sather said. “I would say if you think about sports from the 50s through the late 80s, early 90s, Marz was always there doing something.”
All three men indicated they planned to attend Saturday’s banquet in Mr. Marzulli’s honor.
A Kootenai High School junior will attend the Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University this summer in Washington D.C.
Dayna Lamb said she is excited for the opportunity, which will give her a glimpse into the field of journalism.
Dayna Lamb, a junior at Kootenai High School,was selected to participate in a Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason Univeristy in Washington D.C. this summer.
“I really like writing,” she said. “I’ve been published by a few different essay contests I entered. I like all different kinds of writing, and I haven’t had much experience with journalism.”
Dayna said she was given the opportunity to attend the conference due to her 3.8 GPA and test scores on the PSAT.
“The organization board for the journalism conference is connected to collegeboard.org where you and they saw my GPA and writing score on the PSAT and the nominated me to go,” she said. “I had never heard of it before.”
Dayna will attend the conference from July 12 through July 17.
“The really cool thing is top journalists from around the country will be there as guest speakers,” she said.
Media professionals that will attend include Brian Lamb, C-SPAN founder; members of the New York Times staff; The Today Show’s Hoda Kotb; CNN’s Candy Crowley; and Carol Guzy, of The Washington Post.
Dayna will also be able to travel to several sites in the city including the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Museum, National Holocaust Museum and national monuments.
To pay for the trip, Dayna used her college savings; money she earned from summer jobs and 4-H projects. The trip cost $1,950 plus air fare.
“I pretty much used up all of my college savings,” she said. “I did start a Go Fund Me account to try to raise it back.”
Those who want to support Dayna can make a donation at www.gofundme.com/oj1hnc.
Dayna said she has loved writing for as long as she can remember and “I’ve always had an imagination.”
“I was published by poeticpower.com and in the Who’s Who in Writing 2011,” she said.
Dayna does not know what college she will attend, but hopes to have a career in writing when she finishes.
“Even though I haven’t done a lot of it, I like the idea of traveling,” she said. “It’d be fun to be a journalist that goes to vacation destinations and then writes about it. I think this conference will be a good experience for me.”
Dayna is the daughter of Josh and Stacie Lamb.
At least seven area egg hunts have been organized by local groups for the weekend including the largest event, which is in St. Maries.
The St. Maries hunt is under new management this year as the crew at AmericanWest Bank, who has previously helped with the venture, took over the operation after Tami Holdahl stepped down. Ms. Holdahl funded and managed the hunt for the last seven years.
“We have worked on the Easter Egg Hunt with Tami Holdahl and her crew of volunteers for so many years that it broke our hearts to imagine the children not having a hunt to go to in the future,” Aki Hicks said. “It just made sense for us to rise to the challenge when Tami announced that she needed someone to take the lead in organizing the next event.”
This year’s hunt begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at the Benewah County Fairgrounds. Children will collect more than 13,000 eggs and other goodies scattered along park.
“We really appreciate all the community support we’ve received so far,” Ms. Hicks said. “The Kiwanis Club donated 300 chocolate bunnies for which Jack’s Pharmacy gave them a price break, and Dr. Ewert donated toothbrushes. Also, June Derry and the late Maggie Pritchett helped fill the eggs.”
Those who wish to participate in the hunt are encouraged to arrive early. Children up through 11 years old may participate. The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance.
Volunteers are needed to help with setup and are encouraged to arrive at 8:30 a.m. Call ahead, (208) 245-4700, so the crew has an idea of how much help they will have.
Cash donations to help with the future of the hunt can be delivered to the bank.
“We are planning on continuing the Easter Egg Hunt for many years to come,” Ms. Hicks said. “Nothing celebrates the joy of the Easter season and the promise of Spring better than the happy voices and smiling faces of the children. They are our future, our hope, and creating special memories for them is important to all of us.”
Other area egg hunts include:
Fernwood
10 a.m. April 4 at UpRiver School
Emida
5 p.m., April 3 at the Emida Community Center, Children through 12 years may participate, organized By the Emida Secret Sisters
Harrison
1 p.m. April 4 at Kootenai schools, Toddlers through fifth grade, organized by community members
Plummer
10 a.m. April 4 at Lakeside Elementary, Ages 0 to 10 years, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary Post #69 and Lakeside High School National Honor Society
Worley
1 p.m. April 4 at Worley City Park, organized by Worley Fire District
Calder
3 p.m. April 4 – The St. Joe Lodge has its second annual egg hunt. All are welcome.
10 a.m. April 5 – Egg hunt to follow community service at the Calder Gym.
More than $300,000 worth of equipment and other needs has been donated to Benewah Community Hospital and the St. Maries Family Medicine Clinic through BetterCARE.
Carol Humphrey said the success of the organization is due to the support received from the community at its annual fundraisers.
The BetterCARE Easter Bake Sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 3 at the Eagles Lodge parking lot. The golden egg raffle returns and individuals have a chance to win Easter baskets through the Easter egg raffle. Those who have helped with the bake sale include Eula Needham, Carol Humphrey, Patti Wheeler, Dee Coulter, Justine Juarez and St. Maries High School students Kendall Brusseau and Blake McGregor, members of the Health Occupation Students of America club that donated chocolate bunnies for the Easter baskets.
The community has the chance to support BetterCARE this Friday, April 3, at the annual Easter Bake Sale, which is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge parking lot.
Those who attend will have the chance to buy tasty treats, raffle tickets for the golden egg that is filled with more than $500 worth of prizes and chances to win an Easter basket. Scrubby, the BetterCARE bear, will also attend. A specific project has not been targeted for the money raised at the bake sale.
Past projects of the organization include purchasing four wheelchairs for the clinic, two infant monitors for the hospital, scholarships, portable ultrasound, children’s activity items for waiting areas, audio monitors for newborns, double-headed microscope, new signs for entrances, baby warmers, and echocardiogram machine and more.
“Each year, BetterCARE requests wish lists from departments. They are reviewed and discussed at board meetings and we decide on which project to target,” Ms. Humphrey said.
Donations of baked goods for the bake sale can be donated by dropping them off at the Eagles Lodge or call 582-0782 to have an item picked up.
Pancakes, sausage and eggs will be served at the annual Firemen’s Pancake Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, March 29, at the St. Maries Fire Station.
Coffee, milk and juice will also be available. The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children 5 to 12 and children 4 and younger eat free. Jim Sheppard, who is working to organize the breakfast, said the money will benefit the St. Maries Firemen’s Benevolence Fund.
Mark McCalman, Tim Kraack, Phil Diffenbaugh and Jim Sheppard invite everyone to the annual Firemen’s Pancake Breakfast, which is from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the St. Maries Fire Station Sunday, March 29. The breakfast feeds more than 250 people each year and raises money for the St. Maries Firemen’s Benevolence Fund.
“And basically what that’s for is helping people after they have been involved in a fire,” Mr. Sheppard said. “It gives us the ability to help them out. After a fire, they need a place to stay so we use this fund to put them up in a hotel. We might also give them some money to buy clothes in the event that what they had was lost.”
Mr. Sheppard said the fund is mostly supported by what money is raised at the breakfast.
“What we are able to do is solely supported by the public,” he said. “The fund allows us to respond immediately. We don’t have to go out looking for donations.”
This is the third year Mr. Sheppard has helped organize the breakfast. However, the fire station has been serving up pancakes and sausage for more than 15 years.
“It really is a successful fundraiser,” he said. “We plan to have enough food to serve 360 people and we almost always run out of everything.”
The breakfast, he added, brings in approximately $1,200 each year, sometimes more.
“I really want to thank the community because this breakfast really is a community effort,” Mr. Sheppard said. “Everybody helps make this possible. The Kiwanis lets us use their grill at no charge and the Eagles allow us to use their tables and chairs. Various businesses advertise the event for us in their stores and reader boards. Several churches also announce it in their bulletin for us.”
Fifteen students from St. Maries High School traveled to the Business Professionals of America state conference in Boise March 12 through March 14.
Six students qualified in their events to compete at the national conference, which is May 6 to May 9 in Anaheim, Calif.
Six St. Maries students qualified for nationals at the state Business Professionals of America competition. There are Kaylene Peet, Arie Sands, Liz Bloomsburg, Paytyn Wemhoff, Kari Ghramm and Alexis Cordell.
Alexis Cordell and Kari Ghramm qualified with a second place in presentation management. Kaylene Peet finished second in basic office systems to qualify. Paytyn Wemhoff was third in administrative support research and will compete at nationals.
Also competing at nationals will be Arie Sands, who had a fifth place finish in medical office procedures, and Liz Bloomsburg, who was third in computer modeling.
Students who placed in the top 10 at state were: Erin Kennelly, Kyle Jarvi, Warren Renfrew and Bethany Scott in economic research team; Alexis Cordell and Kendall Brusseau in advanced word processing; and Paytyn Wemhoff in legal office procedures.
There were no students who qualified for nationals from Kootenai High School. Bill Brebner, teacher at Lakeside, said he did not have results as of press time.
Twenty local businesses and groups have signed on as major sponsors for the second annual Benewah County Ray of Hope Breakfast.
The free breakfast, which is sponsored by Potlatch Corporation, is Friday at 7 a.m. at the St. Maries Eagles Lodge.
Morris & Wolff Law Offices and the Lloyd G. McCarter Legion Post joined the group of major sponsors this week.
“We have had a tremendous response from the business community and local groups,” Dan Hammes, who is helping organize the event, said. “Once again this community has stepped forward to help a great cause.”
All proceeds from the breakfast will be used to support CASA in Benewah County. CASA volunteers represent youngsters whose parents are involved in the court system. The breakfast will include a short program about CASA and the work their volunteers do in the community.
“We can’t say enough about Steve Henson and Potlatch. They stepped forward last year and sponsored the breakfast and agreed to do so again this year. That means everything we raise will go directly to our program,” Mr. Hammes said.
Other major sponsors for the breakfast are Hughes Ace Hardware, Sexton Road Contractors, Potlatch Credit Union, Hodge Funeral Home, Archie’s IGA, St. Joe Valley Credit Union, AmericanWest Bank, Ken’s Custom BoDY & Paint, the Gazette Record, Jack Buell Trucking, Paul Bunyan Days Commiteee, the Eagles Lodge, the Eagles Auxiliary, The Paperhouse, St. Maries Kiwanis Club, and Avista. Eimers’ Insurance is a participating sponsor.
“CASA has a great story to tell so we encourage as many people as possible to attend the breakfast,” Mr. Hammes said. “We will start serving before 7 a.m. so we can accommodate those who have to get to work following the program.”
For more information or to donate to CASA call the Gazette Record at 245-4538.
A $10,000 donation was made last week by Potlatch to the city of St. Maries for the community amphitheatre project.
Steve Henson, manager of the St. Maries Complex, presented Mayor Harry Grubham with the check Feb. 25.
“The company is very happy to support this project,” Mr. Henson said. “We’re celebrating 50 years in the community this year and we are very happy to help with community projects like this one.”
Steven Henson, manager of Potlatch-St. Maries Complex, presented St. Maries Mayor Harry Grubham with a check for $10,000. The money will be put toward the amphitheatre project in city park.
“The city is very appreciative of the donation,” Mayor Grubham said. “This is a company that is very involved with its community and participates in community-oriented projects.”
Potlatch is the second local timber company to make a donation to the project. Stimson Lumber donated $2,500.
“We’re very appreciative of the two private timber companies to step up and make donations toward this project,” Chris Renaldo said.
So far, the city has $57,304.02 for the project in the bank. That does not include a $20,000 grant it received from the Inland Community Foundation. Mr. Renaldo said a few other organizations that have had fundraisers to support the project are also expected to make donations.
“We are in the process of getting a final estimate of what it is going to cost to build the amphitheatre,” Mr. Renaldo said. “We still plan to put the project out to bid this spring. Our goal is to have the amphitheatre built this summer and finished in time to be used during the Paul Bunyan Days celebration.”
Anyone who wants to make a donation to the project can do at city hall.
