Author: paedwards

Sweet Lorane Community News – June 9, 2016

June 9, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 9, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Welcome to a classic beginning to an Oregon summer! Last week, a few brave hay farmers were able to get their fields cut, raked, baled and picked up before the change in weather. Some, however, held their breaths, hoping that the cooler temps and “chances of showers” were not going to ruin the hay that was cut but not yet dry enough to bale.

I am so glad that Jim has finally dismounted from his tractor, given up the fields he has tended for so long and is looking closer to home for his projects. For the first time in 52 years of marriage, I’m able to hand over the lawn mowing duties and share the yardwork with him. Wow! What a gift!

The new Lorane Directory, which has been set up on Facebook, is getting some use, it appears. Thank you to Chris Starfire for setting it up and to Marissa McNutt Cooper and Patrick Dearth for helping to administrate it. It gives members a chance to list for sale items in the area so that our regular Lorane, Oregon Facebook page can be kept for community discussions, concerns and announcements. The Lorane Directory is also meant to provide community members information on resources within the community. In looking through the actual directory list, however, I notice that several of our service organizations and activity and interest groups have not added their listings yet. If this is going to be a truly helpful resource, they need to be added, but the information must come from the organizations themselves… i.e services provided, meeting times and places, need for new memberships, contact information, etc.

I had a request the other day from an AmeriCorps volunteer who is working on a food systems assessment for Southern Lane County. She needed to find out how to get in touch with those who are running the Lorane Bread Basket food pantry. I was able to track down the information for her and she got in touch with one of the organizers, but this is one of the reasons why we need to have info on our service organizations posted (Bread Basket, Senior Lunches, Grange, Rebekahs, Theta Rho, Boy Scouts, Fire Department, Church, Community Association, Growers Market, etc.). The most important reason, however, is for those new to the community to learn what services are available to them and how they can participate as volunteers or make use of the services they provide. I was told that some of the food has to be thrown out because there are not enough requests for it during the year. I’m sure that families in the area who are struggling could use it if they knew it was available.

Let’s all encourage the community members who offer a skill or product and organizations that offer services to make sure that they are listed on the Lorane Directory so that it can truly be a useful tool for all of us. The directory file can be found at https://www.facebook.com/notes/999281663489459/Lorane%20Directory/999298380154454 or just type in “Lorane Directory” in the Facebook search box. Go to “Files” and select the Lorane Directory file.

Sweet Lorane Community News – June 2, 2016

June 2, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 2, 2016
By Pat Edwards

On Sunday morning, May 31, another of Lorane’s long-time residents, Donna Moulton, passed quietly away following a long illness. She was surrounded by family and according to her grandson, Chris Blanchard, “She went peacefully and was able to spend her last days in her own home in Lorane. She loved Lorane, and didn’t ever want to leave.” No service is being planned, but her husband Bernie would enjoy having friends stop by, according to family members.

The property and house that Donna Moulton and her husband Bernie lived in on South Territorial Road has a lot of history attached to them. The home is one that Gary Thompson built for his parents in 1967. They obtained the property in 1951, and at the time, the old historic Cartwright House/Mountain House Hotel sat near the site where the Moulton’s home sits now.

“The Thompsons offered the old home and 107 acres of land to several historical societies. For many years, efforts were made by various agencies and concerned citizens to raise the $35,000 needed for purchase. The Lane County Museum Commission urged the Lane County Parks and Recreation Commission to buy the property for a county park site. The commission appointed a committee which concluded that the Cartwright House should indeed be preserved as the oldest public structure in Lane County, but that the commission was not the agency to do it. They recommended that publicity should be used to stimulate interest in the private sector. Taking not only acquisition but maintenance as well into consideration, the commission felt that no one had come up with a feasible solution or a means of raising the funds needed.

“While standing unused, the old house began to deteriorate rapidly. Following her husband’s death on July 10, 1970, Grace Thompson (Gary’s mother) decided she could no longer keep it in good condition and as increasing taxes made it unfeasible to keep it for sentimental reasons, the decision was made to tear it down.” (Sawdust and Cider: A History of Lorane, Oregon and the Siuslaw Valley, 1987 & 2006)

According to Lisa Livelybrooks, the Rural Art Center’s Ukulele Club performed on May 14 at the Uke Jam at Cozmic Pizza to a full house. It was one of six student groups to perform. Their next performance will be on July 7 during the Crow-Applegate-Lorane’s Spring Elementary Music Performance at Applegate Elementary.

The RAC Uke Club, formed in October 2015, is free. It is underwritten by grant funding from Spirit Mountain and Cow Creek Foundation and meets weekly on Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the band room at Crow Middle/ High School. The group encompasses all skill levels and ages, ranging from 4th graders through adults. It currently has 10 members. The club will take a break during the summer, but will resume in the fall. Lisa hopes that you will consider joining!

Just a reminder that Crow High School graduation will be held on Friday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the gym. There will be 23 graduates.

The Valedictorian is Teancum Jentzsch. He is the son of Troy and Coleen Jentzsch of Lorane. He will be attending Lane Community College, and from there, transfer to Oregon State University to earn a civil engineering degree. He was Student Body President his senior year, a National Honor Society member, played football, baseball, and participated very successfully in wrestling. Teancum also volunteered to help youth interested in wrestling and teaching middle school student-athletes how to block.

The Salutatorian is Rylan Larsen. He is the son of Hans and Kristi Larsen of Crow (Hans is a Lorane Elementary alum). Rylan has been accepted to George Fox University with a career goal of becoming a physical therapist. During his high school years, he was a member of the National Honor Society and was its president his senior year. Rylan was Class President his sophomore year, participated in football 3 years, and basketball and track & field all 4 years. He also volunteered on two missions/humanitarian trips to Mexico and volunteered during Vacation Bible School all fours years.

The rest of the graduating class includes Cameron Behlke, Dalton Bowman, Lawson Brooks, Grayson Clark, Trent Clark, Harrison Counts, Trevor Knoop, Gunnar Lassen, Aaron Lawson, Thomas Martin, Audrey Millard, Evangeline Nickle, Vanessa Oldale, Cameron Schwartz, Wyatt Stewart, Fernanda Torres, Alex Willis, Nicholas Willits, Yeshua Wogoman, Bryce Wood, Alyana Woods.

Congratulations to the Crow High School Class of 2016!

Sweet Lorane Community News – May 26, 2016

May 26, 2016Uncategorized Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 26, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Thank you to Bruce and Gary McDonald who took on the task of installing a tall flagpole at the I.O.O.F./Rebekah Cemetery south of Territorial Road this past week. The flag flying over the graves of special friends and relatives will be long appreciated by many of us.

Memorial Day weekend 2016 is now in the books. It’s always a special time of the year. Not only does it signal the beginning of summer for many of us, it allows each of us to recognize and honor the veterans who have given their lives while serving our country. Jim and I have many veterans in our family who served, but only one in recent generations who died while in the military. We use Memorial Day to not only honor Jim’s nephew, Donald Raymond Stewart, Jr., but each of our loved ones who are no longer with us. Our son Rob started the tradition of loading bouquets of flowers in his car and taking his daughters to each of the four local cemeteries where our family members are buried or where their ashes are interred. I frequently accompany them. We always start at McCulloch Cemetery on Briggs Hill Road where my great grandfather was buried in 1939 and where my mother has lain at peace since 2012. We have also added a memorial marker there for my father who asked that his ashes be scattered. Then it’s on to Lane Memorial Gardens, Oak Hill Cemetery and the Springfield Memorial Gardens. We don’t have family members in any of the three Lorane cemeteries, but we do have very special friends in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Thank you, Rob, for beginning this tradition for us. I think that it’s so important to not only look to the future, but to remember the past as a way to determine where we are in the present.

I understand that Margaret Ream had surgery this past week and is now at home and healing. We hope that her recovery is fast and that this strong, lovely woman will return to enjoying family and leading her busy life soon.

Bridgett Johnson-Elliott reports that her mother and father (Linda Johnson and Pat Elliott) are both recovering nicely. Both have experienced major health issues recently and Linda, who had heart surgery a few weeks ago, is “taking it slow and soaking in the rich blessings of life,” according to Bridgett.

While I’m updating you on our Lorane residents who are experiencing health issues, I’d like to give an update on Jo-Brew for those who have gotten to know her through her years as a columnist for the Creswell Chronicle. As many of you know, Jo and I co-authored our two books on the history of U.S. Highway 99. We’ve worked closely together for over 4 years now and have become quite close. She has been experiencing some health issues of her own in the past year, but we are still being invited to give talks and presentations on our books throughout Oregon. Recently, we gave a talk to the Seasoned Adult Enrichment Program at Clackamas Community College in Milwaukie. The turnout of 30+ people was humbling. Highway 99 generates a great deal of interest and memories, especially with people of our generation who grew up before I-5 was built.

Two weekends ago, we went to the McMinnville Library where we had another good-size gathering. For each of us, it’s not so much about selling books, but about sharing our stories with others. It’s a new experience for both of us and one we will continue to enjoy for as long as we are asked and are able. Here’s hoping that this amazing woman gets better soon!