Giving thanks for life's many blessings

On this Thanksgiving Day, I would like to use some ink and a few trees to point out a few things I am thankful for this holiday.

I am thankful (in no particular order and knowing I am forgetting legions of people) for:

• People like the Blackfords who are foster parents.

• People who put on or attend benefits for people they know and don’t know. Mike Gunter does this and so do a thousand other people — especially this year.

• People who don’t honk when you are a little slow out of a stop sign. Or do honk when you are driving home from work with a Diet Pepsi can on the top of your car. I have a friend…

• People who give blood.

• Lions Club members — especially during Toys for Tots at Christmas and the Fourth of July. Rotarians, Kiwanians, Elks all make a difference here and deserve a pat on the back.

• Having a sister for 45 years, losing her recently to cancer, and having her son Cody to remind me of her.

• Senior citizens. Each one is a history lesson if you just ask.

• A loving and caring wife. Two great kids. A mom who thinks I’m special and two in-laws who think their daughter could have done worse.

• People who smile.

• High school sports. It was great seeing a crowd of Sandpoint fans in the Kibbie Dome last Friday. The long line of cars driving home surrounding the buses reminded me of the movie “Hoosiers”. Win, lose or draw, our high school athletes are winners.

• Extracurricular activities. I am thankful that students participate in extracurricular activities. Pep band, speech and drama, choir, school paper, you name it, the students are better off doing that then about a million things I can think of … and a few I can’t.

• People who disagree without being disagreeable.

• The Festival at Sandpoint. The Panida. The Long Bridge.

• People who shop at home because it is the right thing to do and helps our economy.

• Neighbors who run for office for the right reasons.

• The many great people at the Daily Bee.

• People who buy raffle tickets never really planning to win.

• People who buy items from children to help fund band items, trips to New York, etc.

• People who help our elderly. John Elsa is one of those.

• People who send in kudos. People they nominate for kudos.

• For our volunteer armed forces who are protecting us today at home and abroad.

• Law enforcement folks and firefighters.

• Caroline Lobsinger.

• Teachers. Especially great teachers.

• Surprise birthday parties.

• The guy who picks up my trash at the house every Wednesday.

• Kinderhaven.

• Habitat for Humanity.

• People with a good work ethic. Carolyn Inge is one of those. She has worked at the Bee as business manager since 1985 and has taken only two sick days.

• Community Action League. Angels Over Sandpoint.

• Coaches.

• People who don’t yell at soccer referees … or their own kids while they are competing. Or other kids, for that matter.

• People who still have manners.

• The Memorial Day parade in Bonners Ferry and the Fourth of July parade in Sandpoint.

• Marilyn Sabella. Bob Gunter. Sheri Jones. Susan Kiebert.

• We live in communities great for raising kids … and gardens.

• The food bank.

• The fact that Santa still visits Santa-Point, Idaho-ho-ho!

• People who want to make a difference.

• People with a sense of humor. People who don’t take themselves too seriously.

• People who react to others by remembering that “this too shall pass.”

 I sincerely thank you, the reader, for reading this column and reading the Daily Bee.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.