Thursday, March 28, 2024
43.0°F

Miller 'retires' from PSNI again

by KATHY HUBBARD Contributing Writer
| September 20, 2020 1:00 AM

Lois Miller wasn’t finished unpacking her belongings from the move to Sandpoint from Northern California when she knocked on Panhandle Special Needs, Inc.’s door looking to get involved. And, involved she got.

Seeing the need for improved and new facilities she formed fundraising committees. Seeing the need for strong leadership, she joined their board of directors. And, seeing the opportunity to establish a means for not only raising much needed money, but also helping the developmentally delayed clients learn marketable skills, she started The Cottage.

I met Miller in 2008 at the Chamber of Commerce event that named her Citizen of the Year. I had the privilege of presenting her award despite the fact we didn’t know each other. And, as they say, that’s how it started.

A couple of weeks later she was sitting at my desk at the Daily Bee’s advertising department telling me that she had a dream about starting a thrift store that would specialize in household items.

“No clothes! No appliances!” she said. “I’m going to see the property management company that has the listing on the house next door to PSNI and I’m going to tell them that we’ll rent the building and I’m going to tell them how much we’re willing to pay and they better accept it.”

I have to tell you that this spunky lady only talks with a huge infectious smile on her face. She may have been trying to sound bossy, but it wasn’t working for me.

About a half hour later she was back at my desk pointing at me and telling me that her demand was met and that I was going to run a series of ads to solicit donations. “You’re not going to charge me, either,” she said with a laugh. And, of course I ran the ads and, of course, I didn’t charge her. That was how The Cottage got started. And, I couldn’t stop smiling.

And now, twelve years later at the ripe young age of 92 and a half (actually closer to eleven twelfths) Miller is retiring from both her position on the board of directors and as a volunteer at The Cottage. Miller says that she won’t let an old person move into her body, and she is exceptionally successful at keeping old age at bay. This so-called retirement will just give her more time to work in her beautiful Laclede garden and enjoy watching the river flow – like she can sit still for ten minutes.

As a fond send-off, volunteers at The Cottage held a luncheon for Miller. Hosted by Betty Faletto and Diane Newcomer with pot luck salads and sweets, a fun laugh-filled time was had by all. Miller (a collector of everything dragonfly) was presented with a plaque that read, “Always be yourself. Except when you can be a dragonfly. Then always be a dragonfly.”

Continuing the theme of dragonflies, the staff and clients from Special Services and the Adult Day Care at PSNI greeted Miller with thunderous applause and presented her with a solar yard decoration that included a ball and a dragonfly as well as a $100 gift certificate to All Seasons Floral and Nursery.

Miller has been known to retire and return before. When I presented her as a Woman of Wisdom in 2009 she had already quit and come back several times. So, it’s anyone’s guess if this “retirement” will stick. I do know that we all wish her all the best in whatever career she chooses to pursue now!