Midnight In Paris Annual Charity Auction

It was Midnight in Paris at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn on April 9 for the annual charity auction/banquet benefitting Children's Village and the children living there.

Over 160 people attended, bid on silent and live auction items, and enjoyed a wonderful meal and inspirational speakers.  The crowd was introduced to a young lady who spent much of her youth at Children's Village and heard the story of how she has come back as an adult and is now working at the Village.  This first hand example of how important Children's Village is touched every person in attendance.

Employee Sandy Lassen was noted for her 10 years at the Village as well as CV Foundation Board Member Jim Riley's 5 years of volunteering.  Children's Village also presented Dick and Shirlee Wandrocke “The Golden Heart Award” for their service to community and especially for their years of service to Children’s Village.  

In light of the economic times, the Village was most grateful for the donations and funds raised.  They raised funds via their annual Pledge Program where donors pledge amounts of $10, $25, $50, $100, all the way up to $1000 a month.  This has been very beneficial and allows the agency to have an idea of monthly donations in the planning process.  Marla’s Gems participated with a special sale that culminated with a huge basket of Gems going to  Jan Wheeler!

A final tally has not been made at the time of writing but the event was deemed a success and Children's Village thanks everyone who participated in this important fund raiser.

Children's Village is available 24/7 to help children in crisis or in danger and also assists parents in need of help trying to find resources.  CV helps all children birth to eighteen and has the only Crisis Nursery accepting infants and toddlers in harms way at no charge to the family.  The Village also has an accredited special needs school, CV Academy, for all grades.   

Anyone wishing to help or learn more may check out the web site at www.thechildrensvillage.org or call 208-667-1189.  

The Empty Building at 5th & Lakeside

A large building sits empty at the SW corner of 5th and Lakeside in downtown Coeur d'Alene.  Perhaps you have walked by and wondered what it was, and why you can see through the building.

This was originally the Lodge for the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Club 1254.  It was a grand lodge that featured a beautiful ballroom with a stage.  Besides Elks functions, there were a variety of community events.  Locals growing up in Coeur d'Alene in the 50's and 60's remember things like kid's magic shows and Christmas pageants in that ballroom.

Between property taxes and a (nationwide) drop in fraternal organization membership, the Elks Club remodeled the building in the late 1970's and turned the majority of space into The 1254 Athletic Club and leaving just a couple meeting rooms and the bar as the Elks Club proper.

The 1254 Athletic Club had 3 racquetball courts, a workout room, therapy spa tub and steam room.  It had a decent membership into the early 1980's when the Elks built a new facility on Prairie Avenue.  Then the building was emptied.

Over the following years the building was slowly gutted.  A few weak efforts to rejuvenate the building fell through, leaving it as it is today.  You can look in the front windows and see out the back.

The building's shell is still a beautiful structure but the amount of money that it would take to bring it back to life is probably more than it is worth.  City codes also require new buildings in the downtown area must provide parking or pay an offsetting fee, making a rebirth even more expensive.

It's a darn shame this old building has sat empty for so long.  It takes up a quarter of a block and has become a bit of an eyesore as it sits and rots.  Maybe it will end up like the Wilma Theatre, left to sit for so many years it just implodes, ending up as another small pocket park such as the ones at 2nd and Sherman (The Wilma) and between 3rd and 4th on Sherman (Woolworth's).

It's worth noting that Sandpoint didn't let their old theatre, The Panida, fade away.  The Panida has turned into a popular venue for live entertainment, concerts and special movie presentations.

This Day in History, April 7

On this day in 1963, Harley Hudson passed away.  Harley didn't build any railroads, captain any steamboats, mine any gold or run any sawmill.  But what he did do has had just as long lasting affect on Coeur d'Alene as any of those who did.

Harley opened a little shack near the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene selling hamburgers in 1907.  It was known as the Missouri Kitchen until around 1960 when Hudson Hamburgers became the name synonymous with burgers in Coeur d'Alene.  Just like today, Harley served up hamburgers to locals and tourists alike.  When he opened (very near where Hudson's is today), Coeur d'Alene was even then a tourist mecca.  People rode the electric line into Coeur d'Alene to board steamboats that would take them down the lake and up the St. Joe River to the Cataldo Mission, St. Maries and St. Joe City.

The above photo shows the south side of the 200 block of Sherman Ave. in 1954.  Yes, that's a Hudson Automobile dealership (was the Buick a used car?) and Texaco gas station, located roughly where Tito Macoroni's is today.  But farther back you'll see the Missouri Lunch sign.  That location sported a U-shaped counter where the 2nd generation of Hudsons flipped burgers.

Of course today the 4th generation, Steve and Todd, are still serving up old school hamburgers on a grill that is over 50 years old itself.  Hudson's has been featured in numerous publications, both locally and nationally with appearances in the New York Times and Sunset Magazine among others.

Hudson's never became McDonald's (thank goodness!) but has certainly left a major mark in Coeur d'Alene.  Here's a tip of the hat to you, Harley, for starting something that is as unique to and loved by Coeur d'Alene as Tubbs Hill and City Beach.