NSPIRED
Area social event springs from one man’s need
to talk to strangers
While Adam Schluter appreciates how big his Monday dinners have grown, he continues to seek financial support to offer them in 2026 and beyond.
By JOE BUTLER Photography By JOEL RINER
O ne of the Coeur d’Alene ar- ea’s more popular recurring social events started out from a place of sadness. In 2018, Adam Schluter had just moved to the area and was feeling lonely. The photographer just had his heart broken, didn’t know anyone and was deep into the worst depres- sion of his life. He missed the sense of community and general neighbor- liness he experienced when living in Mexico, and also remembered his mom making sure he and his siblings always made it home for dinner every Monday when they were first out on their own. “I wanted to talk to someone, and wanted someone to see me,” he said. “I wanted that connection, and social media was making things worse.” So Schluter did something uncom- fortable for an introvert — he started
help Schluter with everything from spreading the word to cooking burg- ers or spreading landscape bark. The dinners now include live music from area bands as well as drinks from local breweries and cof- fee roasters. In late September, Monday Night Dinners hosted the 100th gathering, and Schluter is already thinking of how to make the experience memora- ble in 2026. “These dinners 100% have saved my life,” he said. “I still need them.” >> Staying small Whether it was in the early days when everyone fit comfortably in - doors, or this year, when his back- yard and back alley are packed, Schluter has a few requests: • Bring food. He may supply the
asking people to join him for a meal. “I was walking around, talking to people on the street, people at the bank, anyone,” he said. “I said, ‘Let’s have dinner and you can get to know me and I can get to know you.’” The simple yet authentic request worked wonderfully. For the first dinner, 11 strang - ers joined him for “burned mac and cheese around the broken coffee ta- ble” of his Third Street home. And then it grew. And grew. And it keeps on growing. Today, “Monday Night Dinners” take place every other week, May- September, and usually bring in 100- 200 guests. There’s now a Facebook page with about 4,000 followers. There are T- shirts and business cards and a dedicated group of volunteers who
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