Sweet Lorane Community News, May 14, 2015
Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 14, 2015
By Pat Edwards
The Lorane Grange has discontinued its monthly spaghetti dinner and bingo nights until September. According to Lil Thompson, “With other commitments, work on our grange roof, and vacations, there weren’t enough members to get the meal prepared and served.” It will be scheduled for the 4th Saturday each month when it resumes on September 26.
The Crow Grange will be taking a break from its bingo nights, usually held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays. The last one this spring will be held on June 6 and it will probably resume the 3rd Saturday in September.
Anyone who wants to reserve a craft or sale table at the Lorane Grange for the September 12, Lorane Celebration 2015 should call Lil Thompson, 541-942-5701. She can also schedule advertising, for a moderate fee, if you want to list a yard sale at your own home that day, too.
The Rural Art Center, with funding from the Lane Library League, will be hosting a series of workshops to build two “Little Bitty Libraries” and stock them with books. They will be meeting at The Blue Rooster Bed & Breakfast, on Territorial, 1/4 mile south of Gillespie Corners, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on four Tuesday afternoons this summer (June 23 to July 14) to screen, label, and repair books. They will also construct, paint and erect two tiny libraries that will be placed in strategic areas around the Lorane area. On Saturday, September 12, 2015, the libraries will be dedicated at 4:00 p.m. at the Lorane Celebration.
RAC needs volunteers of all ages to help. Donations of new or used books, especially children’s books, can be left at the Lorane Family Store. Building materials (6″ x 8′ treated posts, 2″x6″ sections at least 3′ long, 2″x4″ at least 3′ long, shingles, a very large old microwave, nails, screws, cement) are being solicited, as well. Contact RAC at ruralartcenter@gmail.com to find out if what you have is what is needed.
Volunteers are also being asked to bring their building skills to the workshops. A host is needed for one Little Bitty Library along Siuslaw River Road. There is already a site chosen for Cottage Grove-Lorane Road. The host provides space where it is easily accessible to the community, and looks after the books, restocking it as needed.
Help is also needed to install the libraries – dig postholes, set posts and position the Little Bitty Libraries. This sounds like a fun project that will allow you to meet with your neighbors while providing an exciting new community feature!
We have a new business in Lorane, too. Torrie Thompson and her husband recently purchased the Lloyd Counts Stables on Territorial Road, about a quarter of a mile from the Lorane Deli. They have named the property “Little Slice Ranch” and they will be offering services including children’s riding lessons, photo shoots and pony parties. You can get more information on their websites (http://www.dazzlingponyparties.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/LittleSliceRanch).
Jo-Brew and I had an eventful week, visiting both Oregon City and Milwaukie to give presentations on our Highway 99 books. We don’t have any more talks scheduled for out of town until late June now, so I’m looking forward to planting the garden boxes that Jim made for me as well as enjoying being at home to soak up the sunshine and fresh air. Home is certainly where this heart is!
The 12-member Lorane band played an assortment of tunes and several provided solos on their instruments. The group also turned choir, singing an intro to one of their pieces. The classes also provided skits and songs. Some of the younger students put on a very entertaining skit to the story, “Goodnight Owl” and the sixth graders made their entrance dressed in 80’s clothing and hairstyles. They soon had the large audience rockin’ to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” while using glow sticks in the darkened gym.
Once the program ended, a long line quickly formed to purchase game tickets and all of the volunteers took their places at the booths in the gymnasium. With tickets in hand, kids rushed to their favorite games – the Fish Pond, Balloon Beanbag Toss, Ring Toss, Bean Bag Throw, Lollipop Tree, Face Painting, Golf and the Goldfish Toss where ping pong balls – not goldfish – were tossed into a bowl of water. If the ping pong ball remained in the bowl, the contestant won a goldfish.
More activities and games were to be found in other areas. For the price of a ticket, you could have your best friend or worst enemy put into the jail for a certain amount of time. To work off excess energy, the little ones had an air-filled bouncing structure. For those with a sweet tooth, there was a cake walk in one of the classrooms. The more literary could take advantage of the Book Fair in the library.
One of the biggest draws, however, was the petting zoo provided by Zany Zoo which featured a huge python, a boa, an alligator, a parrot, guinea pigs, a tortoise, a huge monitor lizard and a strange little animal called a Patagonia cavy.
Parents, grandparents, community members, students, former students, school administrators, teachers and former teachers were in attendance. Handshakes and hugs were shared in abundance. One of the highlights was the arrival of Lorane’s beloved former first grade teacher, Carroll Noel, who retired several years ago.
The covered basketball court was home to live music featuring the Creole and Cajun duo, Swamp Rock, led by fiddler, Kelly Thibodeaux, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Thibodeaux taught Lorane students to play fiddle this year. Also known as Etouffe, the band combined “red hot fiddle, shufflin’ rhythm and blues and kickin’ Southern rock” to create an exciting new sound they call Swamp Rock. They entertained a large number of people for almost two full hours. To add further spice to their music, the band provided bright green crocodile hats to anyone who would get out and dance while they played, and they got a lot of response.
Local organizations were invited to provide information and goodies as part of the Spring Fling event. The tables were set up in the basketball shelter, as well. Information and concessions were available from the Lorane Grange, the Rural Arts Center, Groundwaters, the Lorane P.T.O., the Good News Club, Theta Rho, the Lorane Charter School Committee and the Bread Basket Giveaway Program of the Lorane Christian Church.
Towards the end of the evening, children began cashing in their game tickets at the prize tables and several dozen cakes won at the cake walk were carted out to the cars in the parking lot. Few people left early. It was obviously a time to linger and visit and get acquainted with neighbors. It was a time to appreciate community and living in rural America… a time to put aside differences and enjoy the traditions that we sometimes overlook in our otherwise busy lives. That’s the beauty of community and why we should never lose its essence. Lorane Elementary School, its teachers and its students have been a large part of it and once again, they brought us all together for at least one more time. Thank you!
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