People of Hope

 

Willie and Bill had gone to the St. Joe for a full day's worth of fishing. 

Having received a note on Tuesday from Susan Davis Howard, telling about a gathering scheduled for yesterda at Hope, I pondered the possibilities and then asked Debbie if she wanted to go. 

It would be a "bring your own chair" event, complete with hamburgers, hotdogs and the trimmings. And, there would be live music. Funds from the meal ticket and drawings would all go to the Hope Community Center. 

I couldn't imagine a nicer way to spend an evening or a more beautiful place. 

Yes, Debbie later texted that she'd like to go. 

So, after a day's worth of lawn and garden work, I cleaned up, she came and off we went to Hope where the crowd was gathering and the music had started. 

We gathered our food and drink, talked for a while and then sat down in the shade to enjoy the music and people watching. Debbie took a liking to a sweet Golden Retriever seated next to her peeps in front of us. 

For a while, it seemed as if we weren't seeing too many familiar faces, 'cept Susan who seems to be at the center of every upbeat activity out Hope way.

Having finished my meal, I told Debbie I'd be walking up closer to the band to get some photos.  

From that point on, the evening was filled nonstop visiting.  Of course, I knew Doug Piatt, a former student who's also known for his father Kenny's fame as one of Sandpoint's favorite car salesmen.  

Doug is a former student; he's retired, and when he and Debbie met, there was talk of his volunteering at the Food Bank where his friend Howard is a regular.

Doug also told us about the boxes of photos he has, taken by his aunt Mary Lee Piatt who worked for both Ross Hall and Cap Davis.  I was proud to tell Doug that Mary Lee had taken my senior photo. 

I also met the band's harmonica player, Lennie, who knows Bill, through land conservation activities and thinks highly of him and all he's done throughout the county over the years as a forester. 

Later, Susan summoned me to come over where she was sitting to say "hi" to Jeannie and Phil Dreisbach.

  In my childhood days of going to Sandpoint City Beach on my bicycle, Jeannie, one of the Pucci clan, was a prominent figure at the beach as a lifeguard and swimming teacher. 

Her husband Phil and I first met while serving together on the museum board for a while. 

On the walk over to their chairs, I also recognized Bruce Butler from the days of Sister School for all the local Catholic kids.  

Sister School, a two-week program at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in early summer, provided an early opportunity for the Sandpoint Catholic kids to get acquainted with the Catholic kids from Hope and Clark Fork. 

Bruce and I even revived the memory of one of our favorite priests, Fr. Dooley, who would come to his parents' house to take a nap and get away from his priestly duties for a while. 

We all LOVED Fr. Dooley.  I told Bruce that my grandmother had served as his housekeeper for a time.  

Since we all started Sister School when we were about 5, I've known Bruce a long time.  He later graduated from Gonzaga, and I'm assuming that's also where he met his wife Judy.  

Last night his sister and his cousin sat with Bruce and Judy as did Alpine Motors owner Tom Robideaux.  Tom told me a few tidbits about his family who had settled in the area as early as 1890, coming from Canada. 

It was a festive, relaxing and pleasant time visiting with these people from Hope who work hard for the betterment of their beautiful and historic community on the north shore of Lake Pend Oreille. 

After leaving the gathering, Debbie and I drove the high, older road above the community and stopped to walk around the historic Hope Cemetery where Debbie said---marveling at the magnificent view, "It would be nice to be buried here."  

Yup, I agreed.  

 It's a serene, quiet spot on the hillside overlooking the ever-awe-inspiring Lake Pend Oreille. 

Thanks, Susan, for the invitation.  It was a lovely and memorable summer evening spent with the people of beautiful Hope.