Kudos, Congratulations Earned At Lilac Parade
Last Saturday night we joined thousands of others on the streets of Spokane to enjoy the annual Lilac Parade. During the evening there were a lot of things to feel good about, and not all of them were actually in the parade.
Hats off to all the downtown businesses who didn’t mind the long lines snaking back from their restrooms (yes, I know they made money on the parade viewers, but not everyone in line was a paying customer).
Hats off to those who stood at attention and showed respect when the flag and former prisoners of war passed.
Hats off to those curbside viewers who made room for little children to sit up front so they could see.
Hats off to the schools which have cheerleaders and drill team members who don’t all have perfect teenage figures, but do have lots of spirit. And hats off to those young people, with and without perfect figures, who strutted down the street, smiling and enjoying performing for the crowds.
Hats off to those who stayed to the very end, so that those last marching bands and floats had an audience.
All in all, hats off to the Lilac Festival Association, Tidyman’s Warehouse Foods and Spokane for another wonderful parade - both for the viewers and the participants.
One of the units in the People’s Parade which preceded the official parade was the Spokane Area Kiwanis. Their “float” was a pair of infant cribs, complete with quilts folded over the rails, which served to spread the word about the Kiwanis Lend-A-Crib program.
The program accepts donated cribs and then lends them to families who cannot afford to purchase a crib for their baby. The Kiwanis will hold their third annual Drop Off A Crib Day on Saturday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at four Rosauers stores.
Cribs may be dropped off at Rosauers stores at Five Mile Shopping Center, Lincoln Heights, Sprague and University, and Heritage Village at the North Division “Y.”
For further information call Joleen Gillin at 455-3444.
Women’s service club donation
Soroptimist International of Spokane, a professional women’s service club, recently presented a check for $2,000 to Cancer Patient Care to provide mammogram and ultrasound breast examinations for low-income women who couldn’t otherwise receive them.
SI’s mission is “Improving the status of women around the world.” Each year the organization sponsors a service project to help women in the Spokane area. This is the second year Cancer Patient Care has been the recipient of SI’s service project.
Art school classes
It’s coming - summer vacation. What to do with the kids? Spokane Art School’s “Summer Art Program” for youth and adults offers a wide variety of activities to fill some of that free time.
Two-week sessions will be offered for kids 4 years old and on up through high school. Classes happen Monday through Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., noon to 2 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
On Fridays, SAS will offer threehour workshops in mediums such as ceramics, jewelry, mask making and sculpture from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
“Operation Opera,” a monthlong program in partnership with the Uptown Opera, will allow young people ages 10 to 15 to learn to make stage sets, props, scenery and more. The end result will be exhibited at the September opening of Uptown Opera’s production of “Tales of Hoffman” at the Met.
Adult evening classes - including calligraphy, ceramics, doll making, figure drawing, traditional oil painting and photography - will be offered throughout the summer.
For information on registration, costs, scholarships and scheduling, call SAS, 328-0900.
YMCA camps, aquatics
Another summer lifesaver for parents and kids during the summer months is camp.
The YWCA Summer Camp is 10 sessions of day camp for girls and boys in first through seventh grade. Swimming lessons, arts and crafts, games, cooking, field trips, hikes and sports are all part of the experience.
Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with activity times from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
For more information or a registration form, call Vall Hunt, director of youth services, 326-1190, ext. 51.
Campers are not the only ones who enjoy and benefit from the aquatics program at the YWCA. The Spokane YWCA Water Fitness Program was ranked the No. 1 program in the state, and seventh in the nation, by the United States Water Fitness Association, Inc.
Judging was based on the number of water fitness classes held each week, the variety of classes offered, instructors’ training, variety of special fitness events scheduled throughout the year, use of professional teaching equipment, number of water fitness participants and having a lifeguard on duty during regular water fitness classes.
Cheney Cowles exhibit, lectures
Water from a different perspective will be explored by the Cheney Cowles Museum in its upcoming exhibit “Rivers and Dams; Promises, Progress and Perils.” Judy Grollmus, museum education coordinator, will speak about the exhibit during the final program in the 1994/95 Senior Lecture Series on Wednesday, June 6 at 11 a.m. in the auditorium.
Grollmus will discuss what inspired the exhibit, the planning team of community members who helped shape the exhibit, what is hoped to be achieved in the way of community education. Also to be discussed are the two smaller supporting exhibits which will take place this summer and the symposium, “Rivers and Dams; Conflicts and Values.” That symposium will be held on Sept. 8 at the Ag Trade Center.
Following Grollmus’ talk, Tony Wise, West One Bank, will present a 10-minute “Financial Tip of the Month for Seniors.”
The lecture is free of charge to senior citizens. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served at 10:30 a.m. The Senior Lecture Series is sponsored by the museum, Sacred Heart Medical Center and West One Bank.