Category: Newspaper Columns

Newspaper columns that I have written for the Fern Ridge Review in Veneta, Oregon and the Creswell Chronicle in Creswell, Oregon. I began writing them for the Fern Ridge Review on August 4, 2010; on December 6, 2012, the Creswell Chronicle began printing them, as well. I am still the Lorane columnist for both papers.

Sweet Lorane Community News, October 13, 2022

October 20, 2022Newspaper Columns, , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
The Chronicle (Creswell)
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 13, 2022
By Pat Edwards

I welcome the coming of fall this year—well, to be honest, I guess I’m glad to see its arrival every year—but this year it’s especially welcome for some reason. This past spring and summer have been especially difficult for both Jim and me… the selling of our store that we owned for almost 45 years in early March, Jim’s back surgery, three runs to the emergency room, his rehab, the recovery process, and Covid have taken a lot out of us both. I’ve been struggling to focus on anything other than our immediate situation, and in the past few months, I’ve felt my writing, especially, has gone through a rather rough patch. I’ve asked my editors to allow me to send in columns only when I have something to write about other than health issues.

Our recent trip to New England seemed to cleanse my brain a bit, allowing me to interact with others socially as well as see and experience a beautiful, different part, of our great country that we’ve never visited before. I boarded the plane in Boston feeling refreshed and revitalized. Unfortunately, on the 6-hour flight home, I sat next to a woman who was obviously not feeling well, and three days after we got home, I tested positive for Covid. Consequently, last week was spent in isolation—even from Jim—but, I didn’t feel all that bad. I never ran a fever and only had minor head cold symptoms… and fortunately, Jim didn’t get it.

So, I’m going to use the rest of this week’s column to tell you about some great community events planned for both the Lorane and Crow areas and we’ll see where we go from there.

One of the exciting upcoming Halloween events is something I’ve been wanting to tell everyone about for some time. The “Haunted Barn of Old Lorane” began a few years ago in a barn on the property of Shauna Doughty and Aaron Scaletti. Shauna was born and raised in Lorane and has always wanted to do something special for the community she loves. She and Aaron started out with handmade Halloween displays and populated it with ghosts and goblins for the local kids and their parents. Each year since, it has grown with the help of other volunteers and has become popular with not only Lorane residents, but some from out of the community as well. Shauna says that, this year, they have been working for the last several months to add new things and are extremely proud of what they have accomplished.

The Haunted Barn of Old Lorane will be open October 21 and 22; and October 28 and 29, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. each night. It’s free, but donations are accepted. The address is 80421 Old Lorane Road, Lorane, OR 97451. (Old Lorane Road runs past the fire department, lodge, church and grange in Lorane.)

Then, on Friday, October 21, the Applegate Elementary in Crow is hosting a Harvest Festival from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Join everyone for an evening filled with free carnival games, costume contests, trick-or-treating and a Haunted House.

Also scheduled for October 21, is Lorane Grange’s Dessert and Bingo Night, beginning at 7:00 p.m. No mention has been made to wear a Halloween costume, but ghosts and goblins are welcome there, too.

On Halloween night, everyone is invited to take part in the annual Lorane Christian Church’s “Trunk ‘n Treat” get-together in their parking lot where those who choose, can bring their cars with decorated trunks and Halloween goodies to give out to local trick-or-treaters. Everyone is encouraged to wear their favorite costumes and enjoy the evening, drinking hot cider, sampling the goodies and visiting with their neighbors and friends.

There’s lots to choose from in the coming weeks. Let’s all get out and support our communities and enjoy the festivities!

Lorane Community News, September 8, 2022

September 8, 2022Newspaper Columns, Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
The Chronicle (Creswell)
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 8, 2022
By Pat Edwards

With the approach of fall, the Lorane and Crow granges are reinstating their monthly fun and game nights. Both will be hosting their popular bingo games and refreshments in the coming week. The Creswell Grange started theirs earlier and will continue on into the winter months. Here are the schedules:

As bingo caller, Randy Eschleman brings a lot of fun and laughter to the game at the Lorane Grange, and his wife, Marti, helps to keep everything organized.

The Lorane Grange will get back into the swing of things on Friday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. Along with the family bingo (all ages welcome), they will offer a table of desserts, coffee and punch for those who can’t resist.

The Crow Grange is changing things up a bit this year. They are going to experiment with afternoon sessions instead of evenings, as it has been in the past. According to Connie Suing, “We start again next Saturday, September 17, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. The cost is $15 for 15 games and the progressive Blackout is up to $600 right now.”

The Creswell Grange has been hosting their bingo nights every third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., so their next session will be held on September 21.

For those of you who have not attended any of these, they are family events. Children are welcome if they are accompanied by at least one parent. It’s not about gambling. Unless you get to yell “Bingo!” on the blackout jackpot at the end of each session, you probably won’t win back all of what your buy-in costs and sometimes you’ll be able to select a gift from the prize table instead of a cash prize. It’s more about getting together to visit and share some laughs for an evening (or afternoon) of fun and “community.” It’s about supporting the many community projects that these granges sponsor each year, and to help them maintain their buildings and expenses.

In these days of stress and uncertainty about what’s going to be happening tomorrow on national and international levels, the future is going to be much brighter and our lives are going to be much less stressful if we choose to concentrate on those people and those happenings that involve family and community. We have some direct control over the outcomes of local events and situations and the positives are much more evident among family and friends.

Our voices can be heard on the national level by voting—which is vital—but they can be heard strongest and be most effective by how active we are within our own communities. It’s something that I’ve always believed.

An evening playing bingo at the Lorane Grange

Besides attending local events, consider joining the groups that work within each community. In Lorane, we have the Lorane Grange, the Lorane Christian Church, the Rebekah Lodge, the Lorane Community Assn., the Lorane Fire Department, the Rural Arts Center, Theta Rho, 4-H clubs, a yoga group and, of course, the school district’s Booster Club/parents’ group, among others. Each one will benefit by having more active members who are willing to do whatever they can to establish and strengthen the lives of each of us who share the same concerns, goals and hopes for the future… our community family.

Lorane Community News, September 1, 2022

September 1, 2022Newspaper Columns, Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
The Chronicle (Creswell)
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 1, 2022
By Pat Edwards

Last Thursday, September 1, was my husband, Jim’s, 83rd birthday. With our daughter, Gloria, and our self-proclaimed “adopted daughter,” Tracie, we headed to Florence for a special lunch at Bridgewaters, since Mo’s was closed. Then we drove north to Heceta Head where we parked and watched the families playing on the beach and the incoming waves. Further out in the water were a few surfers trying to catch one of the bigger waves. The sea-air was glorious—so fresh and sweet—and the gentle warmth of a day with sunshine and very little wind invited open windows. Unfortunately, walks on the beach are no longer possible for Jim, so we enjoyed the sights, anyway. Sunday was reserved for a family barbeque to celebrate some more. Along with being with family and all of the many Facebook birthday wishes he got on Thursday, Jim felt especially honored and loved. Thanks to all who reached out to him.

Our anticipated celebration excursion to take a jet-boat ride last Wednesday with the River Road Parks & Recreation Dept. (which welcomes out-of-district residents) didn’t work out as we had hoped. Because of the wildfires in Southern Oregon, there was too much smoke along the Rogue River to send out the boats. So it was canceled for the time being. We’ve made the trip numerous times (but mainly from the Gold Beach end) and both Jim and I were really looking forward to it

The wildfire situation is really getting critical. It’s so difficult to keep up with the multitude of fast-growing dandelions that inhabit our lawns when we can only mow before 10:00 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m., but the rules are needed and we obey them. I was able to get half of our hill in front of our house mowed in the morning last week, but the other half is a bit steeper than I like to tackle on our riding lawn mower, so our daughter, Michele, showed up that night at 8:00 p.m. to finish the job. I was so surprised to realize that within less than a half hour, she was doing it in darkness. I hadn’t fully realized that fall was coming on quite so fast. Michele got it finished anyway with apologies for the few small spots that were missed.

Our family has always been supportive, but this last year, especially, they’ve been exceptional. Our grandsons have even taken on the task of cleaning out and rewiring our big tool shed and running wire to our gate at the entrance of our driveway so it can be opened and closed electronically… no more getting out to open and shut it each time we drive through! We are so grateful for them all. I’ve said it many times and will again… we are blessed!

Lil Thompson of the Lorane Grange asked me to give you a little more information on an upcoming Grange event: “Come out and meet our State Representative, Boomer Wright. He will discuss education in Oregon, and if there’s enough time, he will talk about crime and public safety concerns. Boomer originally grew up in Lorane on Fire Road, and graduated from Crow High School. Let’s give him a warm welcome on Tuesday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lorane Grange. Light refreshments will be served.”

Enjoy this beautiful, more gentle, weather we are having as we approach fall, but let’s all strive to do whatever is needed to prevent possible wildfires. Let’s make it through this season without any more incidents than what we’ve already had.