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 6, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 6, 2017
By Pat Edwards

Lynn Kelley notified us this past week that one of Lorane’s former residents has died. Tom Giesen, who recently lived on Fire Road, west of Lorane, passed away on March 4. While in Lorane, he took an active role on the Lorane School Committee in trying to design a community school for the former Lorane Elementary building.

According to his obituary, “at age 65, he pursued graduate studies in Forest Ecology at Oregon State University and became an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon.”

His memorial will be April 15 from noon until 3:00 p.m. at the McKenzie Ecolodge in Vida. You are advised to dress for the outdoors and if you want, bring food to share.

The Lorane Christian Church has scheduled a bake sale for April 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. I’m told that it will take place once again at the Lorane Family Store.

Barbara Herring of the West Lane Project (https://westlaneproject.shutterfly.com/) is in the process of recording information from some of Crow High School’s yearbooks. She is looking for help with the first names (and possibly spouse names) for several of the women teachers who taught there: Mrs. Gardener (1954 & 1955 yearbooks); Mrs. Nutter (1954); and  Mrs. Oliver (1955).

She is missing the 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958 and 1981 editions of the CHS yearbook, as well as any before 1948 or after 1982. If anyone has a copy of any of these that they would be willing to loan or donate to the Applegate Pioneer Museum so that they can be scanned, please let Barbara know at barbhg1221@comcast.net or through the WLP site.

I might suggest that old Lorane High School yearbooks would be most welcome also. If you have one or more that we could scan info from, please let me know (Pat Edwards at paedwards42@yahoo.com) and I will make sure that the information is entered and the book(s) are returned to you within a couple of days. I have gradually been getting info entered for Lorane, but have had to take a break for the past couple of weeks. I hope to get back to it soon.

Calling all Grandmas, Grandpas, Nanas, Pops, Grammys, Grampys, G-Gs and Papas! Mark your calendars for the Annual Crow-Applegate-Lorane Grandparents’ Tea to be held on Thursday, April 20 at Applegate Elementary. Plan to arrive about 12:30 p.m. where you will be treated to tea and desserts. Then, beginning at 1:00 p.m., the entertainment begins. The best news is that you can just go and pretend you’re a grandparent, as anyone is invited to share in the fun, food and celebration. But, just keep in mind, grandparents will be the guests of honor.

The kids have put together a talent show and a special program featuring dances from Zimbabwe will be presented. There will also be displays of Zimbabwe art to view. In addition, there will be a silent auction and a book fair going on at the same time to help fund spring field trips for the elementary students, so make sure your wallet is easily accessible. Most important, get ready to have fun.

Don’t forget… the Crow-Applegate Church of the Nazarene in Crow will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 15. They will get everyone warmed up and ready to roll by serving delicious soup at 12:30 p.m. The egg hunt itself begins at 1:00 p.m.  For more information, call 541-935-1331.

Sweet Lorane Community News – March 30, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
March 30, 2017
By Pat Edwards

Mother Nature could have been a little more benevolent towards families who had special plans for Spring Break this past week. Most of us, in fact, are just waiting for a long enough break in the weather to dry things out a bit so that we can fire up the lawn mowers, finish cleaning up the fallen limbs and tree damage caused by this past winter’s ice storms, and just generally get outside and enjoy some sunshine. It’s amazing what a few days of sunshine will do to our general dispositions, too.

I have to admit that having three surgeries in two months time took my mind off the weather for the most part. Both cataract surgeries and an arthroscopic knee surgery were, themselves, fairly easy compared to what I had imagined them to be. I feel very fortunate at how easily they went… or at least I did until my eyes began to rebel. The burning and weeping I experienced for about a week’s time recently limited my ability to drive my car or work on my computer for more than a few minutes at a time. For me, it was a major catastrophe… the computer limitations, especially… and I found myself trying to finish one editing and two book publishing jobs while squinting through eyes that seemed to think I was peeling some pretty potent onions. The lubricating eye drops that the ophthalmologist gave me following the surgeries didn’t seem to help at all, so when I went back in to see him to get some relief, I was given some anti-inflammatory drops and at the first application, I felt a wonderful relief. The burning has subsided and I’m no longer a menace on the road and I was finally able to complete the jobs I started. In fact, be sure to look for these new books on-line and in local bookstores soon: “Tangent – An Unusual Romance” by Veneta’s own Michael Foster; and “Reflections on Age: Stories and Poetry from the Heart” by Gus Daum of Eugene.

On Wednesday, April 5 the Rural Art Center will be sponsoring its “Half day art class” with Kathy Johnson as the instructor. As a former teacher in the Crow-Applegate-Lorane school district, Kathy brings years of classroom experience and will be working with the students on Chinese brush painting.  For more information, call the district office at 541-935-2100.

The Crow High School seniors are trying to raise funds for their class graduation party. You can help by picking up a flyer and eating lunch or dinner at Panda Express on Seneca Street in Eugene on Friday, April 7. If you present the flyer when you order your meal, proceeds will go to the C.H.S. senior class. I was told that the flyers can be downloaded from the school district website, but they are not there as of this writing. You can pick up one at the high school office and I will try to have copies available at the Lorane Family Store, too.

If you have a child who will be ready for kindergarten this coming fall, Applegate Elementary will be holding its Kindergarten Roundup on Thursday, April 13 at 3:15 p.m. at the school. Children must be five by September 1, 2017. You and your child can meet the teacher and check out the school and classroom. For more information, call the district office at 541-935-2100.

The Crow-Applegate Church of the Nazarene will be sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt at the church on Saturday, April 15. Call the office at (541) 935-1331 to get the time and details.

More dates to remember: Thursday, April 6, 6:00 p.m. – Crow Booster Club meeting at the Crow High School cafeteria to discuss a new group being formed by the Applegate Elementary School parents.

Friday, April 7, 5:30 p.m.  – Pizza and movie, “The Risen” at the Lorane Christian Church.

Tuesday, April 11, 9:00 a.m. – Lorane Community Group will be meeting at the Lorane Deli.

Sweet Lorane Community News – March 23, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
March 23, 2017
By Pat Edwards

I just found out that the weekly Lorane Senior “Lunch Bunch” group has changed days. They are now meeting at 12:15 p.m. on Mondays. This group has been meeting for years at the Lorane Rebekah Hall and it’s been a popular social event featuring not only a free meal, but lots of conversation and games. I was told that on most weeks there are an average of 10-15 people participating and I know that one of the big reasons is Linda DeBos’ fantastic cooking. If you’re considered a senior citizen and are interested in joining in the fun and food, you’ll be welcomed by all next Monday… just show up early enough to make sure there’s enough food prepared. The doors open about an hour before the meal is served.

The Lorane Christian Church is hosting a movie and pizza dinner at the church on the evening of Friday, April 7 beginning at 5:30 p.m. The feature-length Christian movie is called “Risen.” According to Wikipedia, “‘Risen’ is a 2016 American biblical drama film directed by Kevin Reynolds; it was conceived from a screenplay written by Reynolds and Paul Aiello. The film stars Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis, and details a Roman soldier’s search for Jesus’ body following his Resurrection. It was produced by Columbia Pictures”

As I mentioned last week, a group of interested elementary school parents are hoping to set up a committee or organization similar to PTA or PTO that will represent Applegate Elementary interests and needs. The Crow Booster Club, for the past several years, has dedicated all of its fundraising to all of the schools in the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District for athletic, academic and social needs. It will be holding its monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 6 and will discuss setting up committees dedicated to AES so that a new non-profit will not have to be set up. The Crow Booster Club has notified the C-A-L school board so that an official discussion can begin on the proposal. The meeting will be held at the Crow High School cafeteria. Be sure to attend if you are interested in getting a group organized.

Updates will be posted to both the Lorane, Oregon and the Crow Community Facebook pages.

I’m excited. I’m planning to take my two youngest granddaughters to see “Beauty and the Beast” this Saturday. I always love to spend time with Hannah and Natalie and this seemed like a perfect opportunity. I already saw this newest version of Disney’s movie with some of our other family members last weekend, but this is one I could watch over and over again. I put it right up there with “The Sound of Music” as one of my very all-time favorite movies. I definitely recommend it.

Here are some upcoming dates to remember that I’ve already covered in past columns:

The Rural Art Center/Lorane Grange-sponsored Lorane Talent Show to be held on April 2, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the grange

The Lorane Community Group will be meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11 at the Lorane Deli.