Sweet Lorane Community News, October 12, 2017

October 13, 2017Newspaper ColumnsApplegate Regional Theater, Canning Preservattion Sharing Clinic, Crow Fall Harvest Festival, Groundwaters 2017 anthology, Groundwaters Live!, Lorane Community Cares, Rural Art Center, Ukulele lessonspaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 12, 2017
By Pat Edwards

Whew! I think I just put the final touches to this year’s Groundwaters annual anthology called “Groundwaters 2017: An Anthology.” Jennifer Chambers and I have been producing these books since we ceased publication of our quarterly magazine three years ago. We distributed the magazines free through libraries, organizations and businesses in the West Lane area and throughout the rest of Lane County for over 10 years.

For those who don’t realize it, the annual anthologies are the equivalent of 4-plus issues of the magazine that was so popular. We still feature stories and poems from many of the authors and poets who won your heart then, as well as many talented new local writers. Each of our three issues have showcased the stories, memories and poems of over 60 contributors. They make wonderful gifts. Check out our website at http://groundwaterspublishing.com, and look for them in the Fern Ridge Library and local stores soon.

To celebrate the publication, Groundwaters and the Applegate Regional Theater on the corner of Central and Fleck Roads, north of Crow, on Sunday, October 29 at 2:00 p.m., will host a free Groundwaters LIVE! event. Writers and poets whose works appear in this year’s anthology will give readings and refreshments will be provided. It’s become a hugely popular event and the ART theater is amazing. The gym of the former Central Elementary School, with its large stage and theater seating, has been turned into a wonderful venue for not only plays and musical shows that are performed there, but for community events as well.

Each writer and poet represented in the book have earned Jen’s and my respect and I hope our readers realize how much it takes to reveal so much of ourselves through our writing. We’d like to see a large group of local people show up to meet the authors and poets and to tell them in person how much they enjoy their work. You can probably even be able to collect some autographs.

Canning and Preservation.jpg For those of you in Lorane, don’t forget to sign up and participate in the free 3-day “Canning, Preservation and Sharing Clinic” on October 20 through 22. A new non-profit organization called “Lorane Community Cares” is sponsoring it in conjunction with their community garden project located on south Territorial Road. The produce from those gardens will be used in the clinic where those who want to fine-tune their canning and preservation skills can work together to process it. At the end, the food will be donated to those who need it within the community.

The clinic will begin with a dinner prepared from locally-grown products. At that time, donations can be made to help support the program. That will take place on Friday night, October 20 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lorane Grange. What a wonderful way to combine learning and sharing. Everyone benefits.

The Rural Art Center-sponsored Ukulele group will once again be meeting at Crow Middle/High School on Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. The lessons started last week, actually, but you can still sign up or show up this Thursday if you are interested. This successful program has been happening for several years now, thanks to the sponsorship of RAC and the grant funding from the Oregon Country Fair Assn.

Other calendar notes: The Lorane Grange’s baked potato bar and bingo evening will be Friday, October 27. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. with family bingo to follow.

The annual Fall Harvest Festival will be held on October 28 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Applegate Elementary School. I understand that they would love some help with decorations and setting up and tearing down. Call or text 541-517-8556 for information or to volunteer. In addition, candy donations would be appreciated.

Finally, don’t forget the Fern Ridge Library’s annual book sale on October 20-21 at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thousands of books, movies, music and more for all ages at great prices.

Sweet Lorane Community News, July 27, 2017

July 27, 2017Newspaper ColumnsAdvancedED, Albert Goins, Alesong Brewing and Blending, Applegate Regional Theater, Chicken 'n Pickin, Crow Grange, Crow High School, Dessert and Bingo, Lorane Community Potluck, Lorane Grange, Lorane Growers' Market, Lorane Ice Cream Social, Nunsense, Poodle Creek Pickers, tansy ragwortpaedwards Leave a comment

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

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Goins family of Lorane. Sadly, Albert Goins passed away on July 19. He came to Lorane in 1957 where he met his wife Lucy and they had two children, Matthew and Vaunie. Lucy died in 1984.

Albert was a kind, gentle man who loved working in his garden and orchard. At one time, he had a plant stand in Creswell called The Plant Place. One of his neighbors, Bridgett Johnson-Elliott wrote that “His spirit will be forever endeared to the beautiful land and in memory by his dear family, and is daughter-in-law, Rebecca, added, “He was always there when we needed a shoulder to cry on and someone to laugh with and share moments from the Bible.”

The Lorane Grange, instead of a dinner, will host a Dessert and Bingo evening on Friday, September 15. Dessert will cost $3.00 and will be served at 6:00 followed by bingo at 6:30 p.m.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the annual Lorane Community Potluck at noon in the Grange kitchen followed by the annual Lorane Fire Department Ice Cream Social from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 13.

Don’t forget to check out the Lorane Growers Market at the Lorane Deli. There should be produce showing up on a regular basis soon. Proceeds go to the Lorane Community Association for their projects.

Alesong Brewery and Tasting Room held their grand opening last weekend and they had a full parking lot. Congratulations to our newest business!

Lil Thompson passed on the information that Crow High School recently received accreditation from AdvancedEd, a non-profit national group of education professionals. The endorsement means that they feel CHS provides quality education and high standards for its students. We can all be proud of the education our school district is providing for our children.

Don’t forget to support the Applegate Regional Theater’s first big musical production called “Nunsense.” Opening night was on Thursday, July 27, but you can still catch either the Friday or Saturday performance (August 4 or 5) at 7:00 p.m. or the final performance on Sunday, August 6, at 2:00 p.m. The theater is located north of Crow on Central Road where it intersects with Fleck Road. It’s the former Central Elementary School, but you won’t recognize the gymnasium. It’s morphed into a real theater with a stage, curtains and tiered theater seating. My friend and Groundwaters colleague, Jennifer Chambers is one of the “singing nuns.”

Another reminder for the Crow Grange’s Chicken ‘n Pickin’ to be held on August 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. There will be great food in honor of the late Joe Canaday and lively music provided by the Poodle Creek Pickers. And, this year, they have added a vintage car show in the parking lot. This is another event that you don’t want to miss.
Everyone… Be sure to check the local fire restrictions. As of this writing, fire danger is high. “Residents are required to stop the personal use of gas powered or spark-emitting equipment between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day,” according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

And then there’s the on-going battle with Tansy Ragwort which seems to be popping up all over the place. It’s poisonous to cattle and horses, so please pull up any of those yellow-flowered weeds that appear on your property even if you don’t have livestock.

Sweet Lorane Community News, July 20, 2017

July 20, 2017Newspaper Columns4-H, Applegate Regional Theater, Chicken 'n Pickin, Crow Grange, Hannah Edwards, Lane County 4-H Fair, Lorane Growers' Market, Nunsensepaedwards Leave a comment

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

Congratulations to all of the kids who participated in last week’s Lane County 4-H Fair. They can all be proud of their accomplishments.

I spent a couple of days there, watching our granddaughter, Hannah Edwards, showing her sheep and hanging out with family members in our motorhome that they are staying in while at the fair.

It brought back a whole lot of memories. Of course, in the 1970s, when we first got involved with the 4-H program, there were no motorhomes parked at the fairgrounds… at least not in our family. We got up at the crack of dawn each morning and headed into town so the kids could feed and water their animals, bath and groom them and get them – and themselves – ready for the day’s classes. Then, we’d drag home at night after the chores had been done and the animals were bedded down for the night.

Jim was involved as a leader and I was the Lorane 4-H Coordinator for over 10 years while our kids participated in several livestock projects as well as cooking and horse clubs. Later, our grandkids also became involved when they were old enough, so it’s been a long-held tradition for our family.

Hannah is our last grandchild to compete in 4-H and she came away with a Senior Grand Champion Sheep Showman ribbon this year. Congratulations, Our Miss Hannah!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the upcoming 9th annual Crow Grange “Chicken ‘n Pickin” to be held on August 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can enjoy a delicious “Joe’s BBQ,” named after Joe Canaday who was a big part of the event each year before his recent passing. There will also be foot-stomping music by the Poodle Creek Pickers to entertain you. The cost is $10 per meal. They’ve added a new feature this year. Because the annual Crow Car Show ‘n Shine is not being held this summer, a “mini” Classic Car Show will take place in the front parking lot next to the Grange. You can contact Connie Suing at 541-556-2609 or csuing@hotmail.com if you have any questions.

I haven’t heard how the Lorane Growers’ Market it doing so far this summer, but if everyone’s planter boxes and/or gardens are growing like my few tomato and cucumber plants are, then there should be plenty of produce to offer. My one little apple tree is loaded again with apples again this year, too. Be sure to check out the produce table the next time you are in the vicinity of the Lorane Deli.

I’d like to take this opportunity to alert you to a project that I’ve been interested in for quite some time, even though it’s not located in Lorane. I’ve watched and occasionally helped as the members of the Applegate Regional Theater in Veneta have struggled to get a foothold on their goal to establish a first-rate theater in the West Lane area. Their first potential home on Broadway didn’t work out, but they didn’t give up. A few years later, they had the opportunity to purchase the former Central Elementary School on the corner of Central and Fleck Roads north of Crow. After long hours of hard work and much help from their loyal volunteers, the theater is set up and ready to go with their first big production of “Nunsense” about “five nuns who are putting on a talent show to raise money to bury some of their sisters, who met untimely deaths.”

It will be offered for 6 nights, July 27-29 and August 4-6 at 7:00 p.m. (Sunday, August 6 will be a 2:00 p.m. matinee). Be sure to catch one of performances. It’s a feel-good and funny show that will leave you laughing, according to Vicki Sourdry. The play is directed by Marti Stevens Byers.

Please plan to come out and support community theater. The tickets are $10 each; or $5 for seniors, $20 for a whole family, and from what I hear, the play and the talent are well worth it.