St. Maries, Idaho – Hidden Jewel of the Gem State

Demolition Derby Among New Events

The last car standing wins.

This year’s Paul Bunyan Days celebration Sept. 4 to Sept. 7 will include the first-ever Crash for Cash Demolition Derby. Participants will purposely smash their cars into the other competitors. The last car moving is named the winner.

“We have always been trying to come up with different plans for something new and Les Vawter at Junction Quick Stop said have you thought about a demolition derby. We decided that it was a good idea,” Greg Bergquist said.

Mr. Bergquist and his wife, Barbara, are organizing the event, which is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Benewah County Fairgrounds. Those who did not preregister for the event may do at 8 a.m. at the fairgrounds. A $1,500 prize will be offered to the main heat winner.

“You run five cars at a time and you will have a winner from each of those heats,” Mrs. Bergquist said.

“Those winners will go to the main event. We will also have a hard luck heat for those who didn’t make the main heat event but are still able to run. A cash prize will also be offered for that winner.”

How long the event lasts will determine how many cars enter.

“Heats can last 20 to 40 minutes,” he said. “It’s looking like we will have a lot of competitors.”
Admission costs $10 for anyone six years and older. Children five and younger are free. The cost to enter a car is $50. Kiwanis will cook and the St. Joe Valley Car Club will offer a beer garden.

The couple gave thanks to Paul Twidt, of Page Posse Motor Sports in Smelterville, who will provide people to help run and officiate the event. For more information, call 582-0363 or email burjo@smgazette.com.

The sun sets over the carnival at the 2014 Paul Bunyan Days celebration at City Park in downtown St. Maries. Rides like the Ferris Wheel are a mainstay, year after year.

In addition to those events, the weekend promises plenty of entertainment. Community booths, the carnival, vendors, helicopter rides and the Blue Ox topless bar will be open and available throughout the weekend.

Children may dress-up their favorite stuffed animal, pet or doll and enter the pet and doll parade. Registration is at 5 p.m. Friday at the Grub Box parking lot. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. Prizes to first, second and third place.

Learn some square dancing skills as the Shirts n’ Skirts square dance club from Post Falls will offer dances at the Jon Denny Building at the fairgrounds Friday and Saturday. Friday is the singe dance from 8 to 10 p.m. Dancing continues Saturday with the Caller/Cuer Jamboree and will honor Bob and Claudia Amsbury. Pre-rounds are at 7 p.m. and Theresa Ray is the cuer. The mainstream dance is from 8 to 10 p.m. and Don McPeak is the caller. The cost is $8 per person for Saturday and $3 per person for Friday.

Start Saturday off with the Paul Bunyan Days Karen Ebert Memorial 5K Fun run/ Walk. Registration is open at 8 a.m. and the event starts at 9 a.m. at St. Maries High School. For those who did not pre-register, the cost to participate is $21.

Children up to 12 years old are invited to participate in the Junior Olympics. Register at 9:30 a.m. at the football in city park and the games begin at 10 a.m. Awards are presented in each age group. Registration for water events for adults and teenagers (13-17) opens at 11 a.m. at the city pool and events start at noon.

Adults are invited to compete in the Tug-Of-War competition Saturday night. There is a 1,500 pound maximum and a woman must compete on each team. Register at the football field in city park at 6 p.m. with the event to start at 7 p.m. Tug-Of-War is followed by the St. Joe Valley Car Club Dance at 9 p.m. at the Cormana Building with the King Pins. Tickets are $5 at the door. Must be 21.

The Benewah County Humane Society will serve breakfast from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge Sunday. The menu includes scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, milk, juice and coffee.

Pool events for children six to 12 begin at 1 p.m. at the city pool with registration at noon. Events will include inner tube races, parent/ child raft races and more. The Paul Bunyan Days auction starts at noon in the football field in city park. There will be three truck logging loads of firewood and two dump truck loads of firewood. Potlatch donated two logging truck loads and St. Maries Logging donated the other. The auction supports the celebration and the fireworks show each year. Any profits from the auction are put back into the city park.The First Baptist Church on 2nd Street invites everyone to worship together during Joy Night at 6 p.m.

The weekend concludes Monday with the parade at 10 a.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Ken’s Body Shop. Registration will only be accepted until 9:30 a.m. Logging events start at 1 p.m. Those who want to participate can register, beginning at noon at the softball fields. Also planned at noon are events for children ages two to five years old at the main stage in city park.

Schedule of Events

Friday, Sept. 4
Noon    Community booths and Blue Ox Tavern open at city park
5 p.m.    Pet and doll parade check-in at Grub Box parking lot
5:30 p.m.    Pet and doll parade
6 to 10 p.m.    Karaoke on stage at city park
Saturday, Sept. 5
All day        Carnival, food booths, Blue Ox and shopping
8 a.m.    Register for Paul Bunyan Days/ Karen Ebert Memorial 5K Run/ Walk at SMHS
8 a.m.    Demolition Derby registration at Benewah County Fairgrounds
9 a.m.    Fun/ Run 5K starts
9:30 a.m.    Junior Olympics registration at football field in city park
10 a.m.    Helicopter rides at west end of city park; Junior Olympics begin; Blue Ox opens
11 a.m.    Water events registration at city pool
11 to 12 p.m.    St. Maries Community Band and Choir at main stage in city park
12 p.m.    Water events
1 p.m.    Crash for Cash Demolition Derby at fairgrounds
1 to 5 p.m.    Down South on stage at city park
6 p.m.    Tug of War Weigh-In at football field in city park
6 to 10 p.m.    American Bonfire at stage in city park
7 p.m.    Tug Of War starts
8 to 12 a.m.    DJ Kevin James at the Blue Ox
9 p.m.    St. Joe Valley Car Club Dance at Cormana Building
Sunday, Sept. 6
All day    Carnival, food booths, Blue Ox and shopping
7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.    Community breakfast at Eagles Lodge
10 a.m.    Helicopter rides at west end of city park
10 a.m. Blue Ox opens
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.    Valley Piecemakers Quilt Show at Heyburn Elementary gym
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.    Spare Parts Band on stage at city park
12 p.m.    Paul Bunyan Auction at football field in city park
12 p.m.    Register for children’s pool events
1 p.m.    Children’s Pool Events
6 p.m.    Joy Night Worship at First Baptist on 2nd Street
8 to 12 p.m.    Family Dance in city park football field with Earl Wear and Haywire
8 to 12 p.m.    DJ Kevin James at the Blue Ox
Monday, Sept. 7
8 to 9:30 a.m.    Register for parade at Ken’s Body Shop
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.    Valley Piecemakers Quilt Show at Heyburn Elementary gym
10 a.m.    Helicopter rides at west end of city park
10 a.m.    Parade down Main Avenue
12 p.m. to close    Carnival, booths, Blue Ox
12 p.m.    Children’s events at main stage in city park
12 p.m.    Logging events registration at softball field
1 p.m.    Logging events

The fourth annual David Hanley Memorial golf tournament is this weekend, Saturday, Aug. 29, at the St. Maries Golf Course.

Mr. Hanley was a lifetime member at the local course and managed the facility for some 15 years. This is the fourth tournament named for Mr. Hanley, who died in April 2012.

Mitch Santos made and hung a sign with a photo of Dave Hanley at the St. Maries Golf Course. Teh sign denotes the patio built in memory of the longtime course manager. Chuck Chase, Millie Burk, Connie Hanley and Bryan Chase watched Mr. Santos as he mounts the photo of Mr. Hanley.

Mr. Hanley started golfing at the course when he was eight or nine years old. He always had a love for the game, Connie Hanley said.

The tournament commences at 9 a.m. Saturday with a shotgun start. Those who plan to participate should plan to register at 8 a.m. and the opening ceremony is at 8:30 a.m.

All proceeds from the tournament will be used for improvement to the course.

A potluck dinner will follow play Saturday. For more information call the clubhouse at 245-3842 or Connie Hanley at 582-0357.

Area families are invited to enjoy two days of fun-filled activities at the annual Family Fun Day. The event, organized by the St. Maries Rotary Club, is Saturday and Sunday in conjunction with the Benewah County Fair.

“We are really hoping for a lot of participation,” Carol Humphrey said. “We want to grow this event every year. It’s old fashioned family fun for all ages, so get the family together.”

Once again, the St. Maries Rotary Club’s Family Fun Day will be held in conjunction with they Benewah County Fair. Lynn Masterson, Sandee Reedee, Stacie Lamb, Carol Humphrey, Nisha Banjao and Nancy Malensky invite families to the fair and to participate in a variety of additional events planned as part of the two-day Family Fun Day event. A barbecue contest and vegetable decorating contest is planned.

The cost to attend is $35 for a family of four for a two-day pass. Additional family members are $10 and an individual pass is $13. A single event costs $2. When participants purchase a pass, they also receive a ticket for the grand prize drawing. Additional tickets for the drawings cost $1 each or six for $5.

The event begins with the St. Maries Rotary Club serving breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday. Lunch, which includes hot dogs and brats, begins at 11 a.m. Several crafts for children including spin zone art will be from noon to 5 p.m. in the lower fairgrounds. Other activities from 1 to 5 p.m. include balloon animal art, face painting, a 16’ water slide, 38’ new millennium obstacle course, a toddler zone, bounce houses, a human gyroscope, bungee basketball and more.

On Sunday several contests, beginning at 11 a.m., are planned and include the water balloon launch, stick horse race and elk bugling.

A $100 prize is up for grabs in the vegetable decorating contest. The contest is for youth 12 years and younger. The vegetable must be grown and decorated by the contestant. The public will be encouraged to vote for their favorites. The contestant with the most votes will be the winner and receive cash, compliments of Triple X Feeds.

A $250 prize will be offered to the overall winner of the barbecue cook-off challenge. The cost to enter is $30. A participant may enter as many categories as they would like. Five categories are being offered this year and include pork, beef, chicken ribs and more.

Contestants are still needed for the event. Those who plan to participate are encouraged to register ahead of the event. Participants who pre-register may start cooking anytime Sunday morning. Judging is at 2 p.m. with winners announced at 2:30 p.m. Those who do not pre-register may register at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event and then start cooking.

For $5 members of the public will be able to sample the recipes that come off of the grill. Each person will be given a token to vote for their favorite for the people’s choice award. The winner of the people’s choice award will win half of the proceeds from what the public pays to sample the recipes.

One lucky individual will lay a smooch on Lizzy the Donkey in the Kiss-the-Donkey contest. This year’s contestants include Bryan Chase, Donny Masterson, John Cordell, Carrie Nordin, Lena Sindt and Janet Potter. Whoever raises the least amount of money will kiss Lizzy. The contestant who raises the most money will donate half of their proceeds to the charity of their choice. The rest will benefit the St. Maries Rotary Club.

Finally, Radical Rick from Channel 6 in Spokane will present the Extreme Science Show at 1:30 p.m. Winners of every contests will be announced at 2:30 p.m. During the day Sunday, there will be a drawing for prizes donated by local businesses every half hour.

There is also a firewood raffle planned and a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are a $1 each or five for $6.

The day will conclude with the grand prize drawings. Adults have a chance to win the 2 Fer, $200 worth of all the groceries you can put in a cart in two minutes at Archie’s IGA. Teens can win Silverwood tickets for two, and children up to 11 can win a tablet.

Ms. Humphrey said Visa cards will be accepted at the event. She added the St. Maries Rotary Club will have a booth near the events where passes can be purchased. It will be under a big, purple umbrella. Contest entry forms will also be available there.

For more information about the two-day event call Ms. Humphrey at 245-2457.

Lighting struck twice at the Cordell household.

Following in the footsteps of his brother Nicholas, St. Maries High School graduate Austin Cordell has been selected for the Navy’s prestigious Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.

Following in the footsteps of his brother Nicholas, St. Maries High School graduate Austin Cordell has been selected for the Navy’s prestigious Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.

The program pays current college students to complete their undergraduate education, and then puts them through extensive training in order to become nuclear power officers in the Navy. Many spend their careers below the waterline in submarines, while many others serve aboard aircraft carriers.

Austin, who is studying for a mechanical engineering degree at Boise State University, learned about the program from his older brother Nick, who was selected for the program last year.

After Nick told him about the program, Austin contacted the Navy recruiter in Boise. The Navy sent him to San Diego to tour naval vessels there.

The purpose of the tour was “to see if you’re fit for the Navy as a nuclear officer,” he said.

The trip paid off.

“I fell in love with the idea and it just kind of happened,” he said.

After learning that he had been accepted into the program, Austin gave his oath of enlistment and officially joined the Navy June 21.

While studying at St. Maries High School, where his father John Cordell serves as principal, Austin played basketball, track, soccer, and a little golf, he said. He also participated in Business Professionals of America and became an Eagle Scout.

Danette Cordell, proud mother of the two future naval officers, said after Nick graduates from Boise State this December, he will go to Officer Candidate School at Newport, R.I. and then go on to further training as he prepares to become an instructor in the Navy’s nuclear power program.

Austin will follow a slightly different path. After graduating college, he will go through Officer Candidate School, and then become part of the crew of a destroyer or other surface ship in order to earn his surface warfare pin. After that, he’ll be assigned to Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C. for six months, and then will get another six months of hands-on training on one of the Navy’s prototype reactors in either Charleston, S.C. or Ballston Spa, N.Y.

The Cordell brothers had relatives who served in the military, said Ms. Cordell, but ironically, they were all landlubbers. John’s father, brother, and grandpa were in the Army, she said.

“We don’t have anybody in the Navy in our family, so it was a bit of a shocker to see they were going this route, but it is exciting. It is very exciting. I couldn’t be prouder.”

By the time he completes his training and enters the fleet as a nuclear officer, Austin will have been on the Navy’s payroll for more than seven years, putting him near the halfway point to retirement. Because of that, he is willing to consider making the Navy a career.

That decision is still years away. For now, he’s still a college student with a degree to earn. But he’s already answered the question that all college grads face: “what am I going to do now?”

He’s going to play with nuclear power aboard one of the world’s most powerful aircraft carriers.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

Tim Turner donated a new sign to the St. Maries fire station last month.

Created by the local wood carver, the 12’ by 4’ sign was mounted adjacent to the building’s entrance mid-July.

Red and golden-yellow in color, the sign took several weeks to complete and five people to install on the side of the building.

Tim Turner donated his time and expertise to create a sign for the St. Maries fire station. It took five men, including Chief Larry Naccarato and Mr. Turner, to place the sign earlier this month.

Mr. Turner, a resident of the St. Maries River Road, has carved wooden signs since the early 1980s. He approached Chief Larry Naccarato at the fire station late last year and offered to create a sign for the station.

“He donated all his time and effort on that project,” Chief Naccarato said. “The department merely covered his materials, which costs us less than $100. But the hours of work put into the making of the sign, you can’t put a price on that.”

The station, located at the corner of Thirrd Street and Jefferson Avenue, was constructed in 2007.

Area equine competitors can participate in three horse events in one weekend.

The UpRiver Saddle Club will sponsor its annual horse show, trail classic and O-Mok-See Aug. 1-2 at the Santa arena. Horse tack and cash prizes are up for grabs.

Krista Moore and Payten Spear will participate in the competitive horse event organized by the UpRiver Saddle Club this year.

This will be the 54th year for the show and O-Mok-See and the 14th for the trail classic competition.

The events see an average participation of 80 to 100 riders mostly from the St. Maries, Coeur d’Alene, Princeton, Potlatch and Lewiston areas each year. Money collected from entry fees and through sponsorships is used to fund the show each year and maintain and improve the arena. This year’s sponsors, who have also supported the function in the past, will be entered into a drawing for a fishing trip on the Clearwater River.

This year’s show begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Registration costs $6 per class. The trail competition begins at noon and costs $15 for entry plus an additional $25 for entry into the jackpot. The O-Mok-See begins at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and costs $6 per event.

The Cathern Michael buckle, given to an outstanding club member each year, will be awarded during lunchbreak at Sunday’s events.

The arena is located at the 68.5 mile marker of State 3, just outside of Santa. Camping sections and concessions will be available.

Detailed information, rules and entry forms are available online at www.ursc.org.

The last time Devin McEwen went to Cherry Bend Park, he didn’t know he’d be in the right place at the right time to save someone else’s life.

The nine-year old St. Maries resident had been at the park July 13 swimming for two hours with a girl from out of town and a three-year old boy when the incident occurred.

Devin McEwen helped rescue a toddler who nearly drowned while swimming at Cherry Bend Park July 13.

Devin said he and the girl, Brianna, were in a shallow section, where they could stand, when the three-year old boy jumped into deeper water. Devin’s mother, Joelena Ford, said she noticed the child struggling.

Devin said Brianna grabbed the boy, but they both started to go underwater. Devin swam over and dislodged the boy from Brianna, who popped back up above water, while Devin towed the boy to shore. He said that he hasn’t seen him but maybe they’ll go swimming together again.

The incoming Heyburn Elementary fourth-grader is the grandson of Bill McEwen and the cousin of Thomas Winslow. He enjoys swimming, as well as wrestling, football, motocross, watching TV, and playing video games. Devin said he hadn’t been swimming at Cherry Bend for nearly two months until July 13.

UpRiver Celebrates Saturday

Current and past residents of the UpRiver area are invited to gather for an annual celebration Saturday.

Pioneer Day, organized by community volunteers, is a celebration of the area’s rich history and includes fundraising activities to support current and future community groups and projects.

John Smith, Rosemary Newman, Kodi Mitchell, Stacie Mitchell, Debby Powell & Joanne O’Dwyer help to organize the annual Pioneer Day.

This year’s events will include a community breakfast, parade, bake sale, watermelon eating contest, bingo, horseshoe and softball tournaments and children’s activities. New to the lineup is a three-mile fun run to take place in the morning. Registration is at 7: 30 a.m. at UpRiver Elementary and costs $5. Proceeds from the fun run and softball tournament will benefit the UpRiver Parent-Teacher Organization. The money earned at the breakfast benefit the Fernwood fire department, while those from the bake sale will benefit UpRiver Ambulance.

Lineup for parade is at 9:30 a.m. Floats and vehicles should assemble at Carpenter Creek, while walkers participating in the parade should gather at the senior center. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners in five categories including adult, child, float, animal and group.

Children’s and adult activities follow the parade at the CAF building. John’s Grill will have food available for lunch with the proceeds benefiting UpRiver Community United, the group that organizes and raises money to support a variety of community projects.

The day will conclude with a benefit auction, which is expected to follow the horseshoe tournament.

Call Joanne O’Dwyer at (208) 245-4903, Debby Powell at (208) 245-3097 or Christine Ashmead at (208) 245-3869 for additional information.

Harrison Picnic Returns Sunday

Harrison Old Time Picnic has the time honored tradition of selecting a king and queen for their annual event. Larry and Dorothy Donohoe of Medimont have been selected as this year’s royalty.

The coronation and potluck dinner for the public will be July 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Harrison Grange Hall. Music with “Who’s To Blame – Chuck and Gail” will be at 9 p.m.

Larry and Dorothy Donohoe were selected by the Harrison Old Time Picnic committee as the 2015 King and Queen.

Larry Donohoe has roots to the Harrison area since 1910, when his grandparents homesteaded up Willow Creek.

Mr. Donohoe was born April 11, 1934 to Ray and Thelma Donohoe in Coeur d’Alene. His father built a cabin up Willow Creek that year but didn’t get to stay there long, as they had to move to Enaville in 1935 where his dad worked in the railroad. They then moved to Whitlaws, south of Mica Creek. The next move took them to Dudley at the west end of Tamarack Ridge. They then moved to what is now called Doyle Road to a house on 40 acres until 1944.

They were able to have milk cows, 300 chickens, horses, geese, and turkeys. They purchased a John Deere tractor and sold potatoes and veal to Stein Grocery, cream to Coeur d’Alene Creamery, milk to Superior Dairy in Kellogg and eggs to stores in Wallace and Kellogg.

Rose Lake School was the first school Mr. Donohoe attended. He attended it for the first, second and third grades. His fourth through seventh grade were spent in the school in Lane. He returned to Rose Lake for eighth through 12 and graduated in 1952 with a class of 10 seniors.

A couple of weeks after graduation, He worked with his father in the woods for Strobels. He then went to work for Bubs Russell at the Springston Mill for $1.89 an hour. He earned enough money to buy a 1954 Red and Black Buick.

He helped build the new Kootenai High School in 1956 for $2.10 an hour. The school gym still had a dirt floor when it opened.

“I had a frog jump over my feet during Russ Donohoe’s (Larry’s brother) graduation in the gym in 1957,” Dorothy Donohoe said. “There was air space along the floor where they could get in.”

Dorothy Donohoe was born in Colome, South Dakota Feb. 7, 1940. Her parents divorced when she was young and she visited her father who worked at Bunker Hill Mine. Her cousin and wife, Harlan and Jeanne Schultz of Pinehurst introduced her to Larry Donohoe in the summer of 1956. Their first date was at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane for a rodeo with Gene Autry and Annie Oakley.

Larry was drafted in 1957 and while at boot camp, Dorothy wrote him a letter that said, ‘marry me now or never.’ Larry came home and married her April 6, 1957 at the Hitching Post in Coeur d’Alene where his parents had been married. He went back to finish boot camp and was then stationed at Fort Lewis in Tacoma. The couple didn’t get to see each other again until the end of July.

Dorothy didn’t learn to cook growing up and admits her cooking had a lot to be desired. So while Larry was away in the military she spent time with her mother-in-law and learned how to cook. She didn’t have any cookbooks, so started her own recipe file.

They rented their first apartment in Sept. 1957 for $50 a month. His pay was only $76 a month until he got a raise to $125 a month. In May 1958 Stewart was born and he got another raise, so Dorothy started to stash money in the freezer to save money to go back to Idaho.

Larry got out of the military in 1959. They moved to Seattle for a short time, but the cost of living was high and they decided to go back to Idaho. They first lived with his parents and worked with his dad logging. They were then able to rent a house up Canary Creek. In 1960 they moved to Ralph and Nellie Frazier’s rental (Now the Schlepps). Mitch was born in December. Larry was working for Nordstroms as a sawyer. They purchased their home they have today for $6,000 in 1962. That is also the same year they joined the Medicine Mountain grange where Larry is currently the Grange Master.

“It needed a lot of work,” Dorothy said. “There was wood stored under the house and as we used the wood, we realized it had been holding up the house. It was on stilts until the cement work was completed.”

They have since remodeled the home and added four bedrooms.

The couple has been active in the schools. Larry served on Kootenai school board from 1971-76. Dorothy was involved with sewing warm ups for the basketball teams, cheerleading uniforms, costumes for drama, and other projects. She also was active in 4-H.

Larry purchased his first skidder in 1966 and in the fall of 1977 started Larry Donohoe Logging. It still operates today.

The Quiet Nook Campground was purchased by the couple in 1988 and sits on Cave Lake. They enjoy meeting the many campers that stay there. Dorothy refers to it as her hobby.

They are founding members of the River of Life Church that meets at the grange. And Dorothy has been a member of the Worthwhile Club since 1959.

“God has given us so many blessings,” Dorothy said. “Even during the hard times in our live, he was always there.”

They have always enjoyed camping in a tent with their family. They have camped with Tom and Roberta Hoiland in the cedars, St. Joe River, and Devil’s Elbow up the North Fork of the Coeur ‘Alene River. They purchased a motor home in 2000 to travel to Arizona to see their son Stewart and made several trips there.

They have five children, two sons; Stewart (who died in 2014 in Arizona), and Mitch and Angel Donohoe of Medimont. Three daughters; Shirlene and Pat Collins of Spokane Valley, Yolanda and Keith Schwartz of Kennewick, and Alisha and Todd McDevitt of Medimont.

They have 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren with one on the way.

A state highway will be dedicated in St. Maries Saturday in recognition of veterans who’ve received America’s highest military honor.

Four years ago State 3 was designated as North Idaho’s Medal of Honor Highway. But there was never a dedication to mark the occasion. A local group of veterans from the American Legion Lloyd G. McCarter Post 25 decided to undertake the project.

Jim Shubert, Tim Hall and Marilyn Barker invite the community to the dedication ceremony to mark State 3 as the Medal of Honor Highway. The dedication is at noon July 25 at the football field at St. Maries High School.

Jim Shubert said Marilyn Barker wrote the Idaho Department of Transportation about plans for a dedication and received permission in September.

“We felt it was important to do this for two reasons. First to honor the Medal of Honor recipients and second for the recognition it gives to veterans,” Mr. Shubert said. “It is not only a community event but it is a statewide event.”

Saturday’s dedication will take place at noon at the track at St. Maries High School. Mr. Shubert said having the dedication in St. Maries is ideal because not only is St. Maries centrally located, but three Medal of Honor recipients lived in St. Maries: Vernon Baker, Gregory “Pappy” Boyington and Lloyd G. McCarter.

State 3 traverses 120 miles, connecting U.S. 12 near Spalding with Interstate 90 near Rose Lake. More than 100 individuals from the state of Idaho have received the Medal of Honor.

Mr. Shubert said he expects several to attend the dedication ceremony Saturday and he encouraged locals who plan to attend to arrive early. Several other groups are also taking part in the event including Marine Corps League Detachment 966 Pappy Boyington, community band and choir, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Warriors.

The program for the dedication will include the following: March on the Colors, National Anthem, Invocation, POW/MIA Ceremony, and Service Songs and Here We Have Idaho, two numbers by the community band and choir.

Mr. Shubert will welcome everyone to the event and Jerry Wombolt will do the introduction of Medal of Honor recipients. Lieutenant Thomas Norris, who served in the U.S. Navy and is a Medal of Honor recipient, is the keynote speaker.

Lt. Norris received the Medal of Honor for leading a team on a ground mission to rescue two downed pilots deep in enemy territory in Quang Tri Province in April 1972 during Vietnam.

The ceremony will conclude with a blessing from a tribal elder and a performance by the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Drum Group. Lt. Norris and Stirley Cochran will unveil the sign and a benediction will be given by Reverend Greg Worch. After the colors are retired, Mr. Shubert will make closing remarks.

Following the dedication, which is expected to last an hour, there will be a reception at the Cormana Building. Vendors will serve food.

Commemorative items will be available for purchase at the dedication ceremony. The souvenirs, which are available online and at the ceremony, include a one-ounce silver coin, $32; T-shirts, $20; and patches, $13. The coin and patches were designed by the organizing committee, while the shirts were designed by Chuck Groshong of St. Maries.

The items may be purchased through the post’s website at http://lgmccarterpost25.com, through Jim Shubert or Marilyn Barker. Volunteers will be available with sewing machines onsite to attach the patches to a vest, jacket or other article at the ceremony.

Money from the silver coins and patches will help pay for the dedication program and will support American Legion Post 25.