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 – April 27, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 27, 2017
By Pat Edwards

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am so ready for an extended period of sunshine! Enough, already with the constant rain! I sometimes wonder what drivers think as they drive past our house at a little before 7:00 a.m. and see me standing in the driveway… in my jammies and raincoat, throwing tennis balls for Toby and Nora to fetch before I get the R-G and head back in to have my morning coffee. 20170428_121639

After a long night of inactivity, my two, wonderful, sweet… and lively… blue heeler rescue dogs are ready to play and work off some of their pent-up energy. Oh, Jim lets them out into our little fenced backyard area for an hour or two before he heads for the store so that I can sleep in a bit, but we’ve gotten into the habit of fetching balls down the full length of our driveway each morning. It’s a deal that I’ve made with them. We’ll fetch balls for at least 10 minutes, rain or shine, and they agree to lie quietly for the rest of the morning while I’m working at my computer. My right arm has not had this much exercise in years! They patiently await Jim’s return home shortly after noon so they can hang outside with him… if it isn’t pouring down rain. Unfortunately we no longer have cows that they can help work.

Yes, we knew what we were getting into with the heeler breed when we got them. We’ve had two others over the years and we both love their quirky personalities, extreme intelligence and total loyalty, but, I was hoping that none of us would have to be housebound quite this much this spring.

Now for some Lorane news.

Be sure you sign up if you are planning to have a yard sale on the weekend of May 20, when the Lorane Community-Wide Yard Sale is scheduled, so that you can take advantage of the advertising and maps of where the yard sales will be. Give Terrie  Johnson Morris a call at 541-913-3825 if you are planning to have your own sale at home. If you wish to rent a table at the Lorane Grange, contact Pam Kersgaard, 541-214-0261.

I have decided that I’m going to organize our former tavern building, the Dew Drop Inn, that I used as the Groundwaters office for a few years, and find homes for many of the books that I’ve put away for a Lorane Community Library. With the former school building no longer an option, that’s not going to happen, I’m afraid. The little self-help library at the Lorane Family Store is quite popular, but they have more books already than they can display, so for the community yard sale, I will be offering a bunch of paperback books free and selling many of the hardcover novels and cookbooks I have on hand with proceeds dedicated to the Lorane Community Association. Be sure to make it one of your stops on May 20.

The Crow Booster Club is planning the Spring Arts Festival, a fun evening to support the arts in the Crow-Applegate-Lorane schools. It will be taking place on Tuesday, May 16 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Crow Middle/High School. Admission is $5/person. There will be a Silent Auction and you will be entertained by Crow students with drama and music performances. Exhibits of their art, photography and woodshop projects will be offered for sale, as well. All the proceeds for this event support the arts program throughout the district. If you have items to donate for the silent auction, please contact Ali Cheers or leave a message with the Crow High School office for her at 541-935-2227.

Remember… The Lorane Christian Church is holding its Lorane Ladies’ Tea at the Grange this year. It’s scheduled for Sunday, May 7, at 3:00 p.m. They really encourage ladies of all ages to come who want to meet their neighbors or reacquaint themselves with those they don’t often get to visit with. It’s an especially good time to meet some of those we’ve been talking to for quite awhile on the Lorane Facebook page… to put a face to the names we know so well.

Sweet Lorane Community News – April 20, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 20, 2017
By Pat Edwards

I had the opportunity this past week to see the prototype drawing of the proposed mural that will welcome visitors and residents to Lorane whenever they drive by. The drawing is a joint venture, lovingly designed by two of Lorane’s most well-known, long-time artists and good friends, Karen Pidgeon and Alix Mosieur.

The drawing includes a map of the immediate Lorane area with beautiful graphic depictions of the resources that have provided our basic economy over the years, including timber, farming, ranching and wine production.

It will be painted on a large wooden surface and, when completed, attached to the outside wall of the Lorane Family Store.

This is a tremendously exciting project and I personally wish to thank Karen and Alix for their willingness to provide something we can all be very proud of. They will be adding the town’s name to the mural, but other than that, it is my opinion that it has been perfectly thought out and gives our community a sense of its history. Thank you so much, Karen and Alix. I absolutely love it and am looking forward to its completion!

Thanks also to the Lorane Community Association which has brought residents together to make this project happen.

It is with a great deal of sorrow that I report that one of the area’s long-time residents, Charles Blazer, has passed. Because of health issues, Charles and his wife Betty recently sold their place near Doane Road to move into town to be closer to medical care. Their son, Charlie, lives in Lorane and is, himself, fighting his own health battles. Our hearts, love and prayers go out to Charlie, Betty and the rest of the Blazer family in their loss.

The Lorane Grange is switching things up a bit for this month’s Dinner and Bingo Night on Saturday, April 29. They will be serving scalloped potatoes and ham with salad and dessert instead of the traditional spaghetti.  The dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. The price for dinner is still the same: $6 for adults and $3 for children, eight and under and bingo is geared for families of all ages as long as children are accompanied by an adult.

The Crow Grange’s next dinner and bingo night is scheduled for May 6. Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. and bingo at 7:00 p.m. They welcome people of all ages to come, eat and play regardless of whether or not they live in Crow. One of the nice things that has been going on for years is the fact that a contingent from Triangle Lake Grange frequently attends Crow’s event and Crow goes to theirs. I like the idea of communities sharing with each other and the local granges do a lot of that through their plays and events such as the bingo nights.

Come out and support your local grange, Rebekahs, church or other service organizations. They provide a lot of social interaction so that we can all get to know our neighbors and connect as a community.

The Lorane Christian Church is holding its Lorane Ladies’ Tea at the Grange this year. It’s scheduled for Sunday, May 7. I haven’t been given a time yet, but it will be posted on the community bulletin board closer to the date.

Also, a reminder on the church’s bake sale scheduled from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on April 29 at the Lorane Family Store’s parking lot.

Sweet Lorane Community News – April 13, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 13, 2017
By Pat Edwards

A group has made plans for a Community-Wide Yard Sale to be held in the Lorane area on Saturday, May 20. The organizers would like to meet prior to the sale (date to be determined) with those who want to be included on the map of participants and promotion of the event. In addition to private yard sales, the Lorane Grange will have tables available for rent that day at $10 per table as they have done in the past. I am also making the open grassy area around the Dew Drop Inn, next to the Lorane Family Store, available for those who want to put up tents/canopies to sell their merchandise.

For promotion, the organizers will be listing the sale with local newspapers and on Craigslist. In addition, they will have flyers with maps showing the location of the registered sales available at the Lorane Family Store and the Lorane Deli.

If you are interested in taking advantage of the community-wide promotion and maps at a sale you’ll be holding at your home, register with Terrie Johnson Morris, 541-913-3825. If you wish to rent a table at the Lorane Grange, contact Pam Kersgaard, 541-214-0261. Leave your contact information at the Lorane Family Store if you are interested in setting up a tent at the Dew Drop Inn.

As planned, the Crow Booster Club has set up a committee that will be dedicated to the oversight and support of Applegate Elementary School needs, events and parental concerns.

According to Ali Cheers of the Crow Booster Club, “The Booster Club supports athletics, academics, arts and so much more for students at all levels throughout the district. However, parental involvement at the elementary level has decreased. This committee has been formed to help fill this gap…”

Parents and community members are asked to lend your support in giving the Crow-Applegate-Lorane students of all ages the best possible education and life experiences. If you are interested in getting involved with the elementary school group, please email them at applegateboosters@gmail.com.

For information on how to join the Booster Club itself, contact Linda Lay, Crow-Applegate-Lorane Booster Club President (541-844-5840), or one of its members.

REMINDERS: The Lorane Christian Church will be having a bake sale on April 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Lorane Family Store.

The Annual Crow-Applegate-Lorane Grandparents’ Tea will be held on Thursday, April 20 at Applegate Elementary beginning at 12:30 p.m. There will be entertainment, art displays and snacks… and you don’t even have to be a grandparent to attend.

I haven’t included any excerpts of Lorane history for quite some time, so here’s a short one that goes with the beginning of baseball season.

A Bit of Lorane History:

“Baseball was a very popular recreation in the Lorane area as well as throughout Lane County. Ballparks were set up in pastures near the “rabbit barns” on north Territorial Road (south of Stoney Point) and in the large field at the junction of Siuslaw and Territorial roads and behind the present Lorane Family Store in the pasture now owned by the Doughty family.” (From Sawdust and Cider to Wine; 1987; 2006)