Author: paedwards

Sweet Lorane Community News, February 17, 2022

February 17, 2022Uncategorized, , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
February 17, 2022
By Pat Edwards

I’m finding that, with the recent days of sunshine and a bit warmer weather, I’m beginning to slough off some of the lethargy I’ve felt this past winter. I never seem to stop writing—after all, the commitment to write a weekly column for two newspapers helps to keep me on track, but it’s been difficult to concentrate and focus on larger projects during this pandemic. Before it descended on us, I had done much of the research and was preparing to begin the writing of a third book in my “Early Lane County, Oregon, Families with Lorane Connections” series, but the disruption of “normal” life as we knew it two years ago was accompanied by the need to focus on some personal issues, too, so I set it aside to finish “later.”

Thanks to the encouragement of Creswell Chronicle publisher, Noel Nash, I’ve begun the research and compilation of information for another local history project that has piqued my interest and I’m anxious to see where it leads.

In addition, I’ve agreed to assist in the writing of some grants to help find funding for the Lorane Christian Church’s critical need for a new roof.

, the promise of spring and the resulting work necessary to get our yard and flower beds in shape—chores that I love doing— along with a couple of writing projects I can work on while resting tired muscles, I’m looking forward to what 2022 will bring.

There are a few community news notes that I want to share with you this week. The Rural Art Center’s hoped-for launch of the 2022 Movie Night series, scheduled originally to be held on February 12, has been postponed to Saturday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lorane Grange. This popular movie series, like most other community activities, did not take place last year because of the pandemic, but it’s being brought back and I suggest that you put the date and time on your calendars. Masks will be required. Unfortunately, I can’t give out the title of the movie that will be shown. The only way you can find out is if you join RAC’s “member list,” because the company that they contract with for the movies prohibit them from advertising. To join the member list, send them an email at ruralartcenter@gmail.com. Members can then request the movie names which will be emailed as long as you promise not to publicize them. Curious…

RAC has long worked with the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District to provide their “Half Day of Art” classes to students. Each begins at noon when regular classes are dismissed. This program is funded through art and culture grants that are awarded to RAC each year. On the days when the school district has only half days of classes, RAC arranges for professional artists to come to the school to provide a three-hour “stimulating art experience” for the students who sign up. A $15 per child, per class, fee also includes a recess break and a healthy snack. They only have three classes left in the 2021-2022 school year. The next one is scheduled for Friday, May 4, and it will feature Brenda Brainard working with the class on Native American crafts and stick games. The one on Thursday, April 21, will welcome artist Shawn Goddard who will oversee the carving of the student’s own stamps and print designs. The last half-day class of the school year will be on Friday, May 20, when Patricia Montoya Donohue returns with her popular clay monsters class.

Another fun activity that RAC has helped sponsor for several years is Ukulele lessons for 4th graders to adults. We just got started last Wednesday.” They are held in the Crow High School music room from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Classes are free and are funded by the Rural Art Center, the Umpqua Indian Foundation, and the Oregon Country Fair. For more information, contact music director, Pat Dixon (pdixon@cal.k12.or.us). Everyone must wear face masks and adults are required to show proof of vaccinations for the ukulele classes.

event to put on your calendar… On Saturday, March 19, the Creswell Grange will hold The Spice of Life Food Drive to benefit the Creswell Food Pantry. It is a drive-and-drop event in which much-needed cooking seasonings such as salt and pepper, spices, herbs, cooking oils, vinegar, condiments and sauces are requested. Volunteers will be curbside at Creswell Grange to accept donations from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. More information will be made available closer to the event or you can contact Carolin Pettit at 541-913-1859.

Sweet Lorane Community News, February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022Newspaper Columns, 2 Comments

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
February 10, 2022
By Pat Edwards

 Before any more time passes, I wanted to share with you the beautiful day our family had on Sunday, January 30. Many of our family members showed up that day at the Lorane Family Store to take part in a very special photo shoot organized by our granddaughter, Stephanie Kau Furlong, to record and show our love and respect for the special memories embodied within the store and its history. Some of those who have been part of our LFS family over our 44 years in business were also present and it warmed Jim’s and my hearts to welcome them back. I hesitate to list their names here for fear of leaving someone out, but here goes: Michelle Doughty, Shana Doughty, Kandi Bartels, Kayla Pinson Smith, Shelby May Tinnes and Amanda Morrow. Included in our group photo were also the smiling faces of our current staff members, Tracie DeBoer, Kat Stanulis and Quentin Harris. (Cynthia Nickle would have been there but, unfortunately, she was ill that day.) Another who would have liked to be there but was prevented from coming because of health issues, was Kathy Warden who worked for us for many years. Sadly, three of our other original and longest employed ladies—Nancy Seales O’Hearn, Marna Hing, and Marilyn Wenger Cooper, have passed away, but their pictures were posted behind the counter in remembrance of the roles they played through the years. Of course, most of our own children and grandchildren have put in their time at the store as well—Gloria Edwards, Rob Edwards, Michele Edwards Kau, Kelly Edwards, Kevin Stevens, Stephanie Kau Furlong, Linsey Kau Haxby, Hayley Kau, Hannah Edwards, and Tia Spath… and all but one were present.

Our grandsons, Kevin Stevens and Brent Haxby, climbed a ladder to remove the large sign I had painted years ago to adorn the inside entrance of the store so it could be used as a prop for the outside photos. We had to remove many years build up of dust from it, but we’re hoping to seal and preserve it, and use it in some way for the community. It bears the words, “Lorane, Oregon, est. 1887″ on it.

After photos were taken of everyone together, followed by the individual families and groupings, we were treated to a “drive-by” parade of local residents in cars decorated with balloons and streamers, honking and waving as they drove by. Others stopped by to give us hugs and good wishes for Jim’s upcoming retirement.

It’s been a long-time coming for all of us. The signing for the final sale has had to be postponed several times because of pending paperwork and licenses held up in state and county offices, but the final one, we hope, has been promised for the end of February.

We wish to thank everyone for joining us on our special day. An extra-special thank you goes out to Stephanie for all of the time and effort she put into planning our day, and to her good friend and employer, Natalie McFarland, who took the beautiful photos of our event.

Each of you have given Jim and me such happy memories over the years. This whole long process hasn’t been easy for us and we are so thankful that we have family members and friends who have been willing to step in and help us in the transition. Where our path will lead us after the sale has been finalized hasn’t been mapped out yet; we’re waiting to plan any major trips until the current pandemic situation eases, but we’re hoping that seeing a bit more of the U.S. will be in our future soon.

For the most part, we plan to continue to be as much a part of the Lorane community as possible. For us, home is here, where our hearts will always be.

Sweet Lorane Community News, January 27, 2022

January 27, 2022Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
January 27, 2022
By Pat Edwards

I’ll wager that some of you may remember picking up free copies of a colorful 32-page magazine called Groundwaters at your local library, organization or community store every three months for quite a few years. They featured wonderful family-friendly stories—fiction, memoirs, nostalgia, essays—and lots of poetry that stirred the heart, all written by local talent. Veneta resident, Judy Hays-Eberts, started the publication in the Fall of 2004 and produced a new issue quarterly—every three months. She distributed it to the communities of Veneta, Elmira, Noti, Cheshire, Lorane, Crow and other nearby areas. After a few years, however, health issues caused her and her husband, Sonny Hays-Eberts, to make the decision to shut it down. Four of us who were helping her at the time—Jennifer Chambers, Pat Broome, Jim Burnett Sr. and I—offered to take it over and continue this publication that we had come to love. We set it up as Groundwaters Publishing LLC and in June 2008, it was signed over to us by Judy and Sonny.

We negotiated an arrangement with the Applegate Regional Theater (ART, Inc.) to operate under their non-profit umbrella and began producing 700 copies of each quarterly issue. I printed those copies at home on 11″ x 17″ paper on our dependable HP workhorse printer and we all got together the first part of every January, April, July and October for the next 7 years to fold and hand-staple all 700 copies. We expanded our distribution to Alvadore, Junction City, Creswell, Cottage Grove and Eugene, thanks to some generous donors, and under the 501c3 license, we were able to sponsor some writing projects at the local grade schools with grant monies we were awarded.

We stopped publishing the quarterlies after the April 2015 issue was distributed due to the increased cost of printing and the fact that there were only two of us remaining to produce it. Pat Broome and my brother Jim Burnett, aka “Jimminy Cricket,” were no longer able to continue. Since then, Jen and I gave up our 501c3 status and began producing annual paperback anthologies that were the equivalent of 3 issues of the magazine.

Why am I giving you this bit of personal history? Because I have been storing multiple copies of those 32 issues in file cabinets and boxes all these years and I’ll no longer have the storage space for them. We’ve been putting together sets of the issues to give to area libraries that don’t already have them, senior centers, and individuals who have asked for them. We still have quite a few copies left that we really don’t want to dispose of if we don’t have to.

Pat Barons, who organizes the annual book sale for the Friends of the Fern Ridge Library in Veneta, has agreed to distribute them at their sale this year on February 11 and 12, and on their “every day” book/magazine sale cart.

There are also quite a few issues in the free box at the Lorane Family Store, too. We are not charging for any of these.

For people who want certain issues that they cannot find, I will be happy to provide pdf files so that they can be read on-line or printed off individually. Just contact me via email at edwards@groundwaterspublishing.com. These stories and poems by many of your friends and neighbors need to live on and be enjoyed by as many as possible. These timeless issues have already provided readers with many hours of enjoyment over the years and can continue doing so. We offer our thanks to you and all of the authors and poets who have shared their talents with us over the years.