Tag: Crow Grange

Sweet Lorane Community News, June 8, 2017

June 8, 2017Newspaper Columns, , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 8, 2017
By Pat Edwards

Today (Thursday) we are experiencing a bit of rain. Even though I’ve been complaining of the over-generous spring days of rain provided by Mother Nature, a couple of days of it right now seems welcome. It’s watering the tender little plants that I’ve recently planted. I raised some from seed this year and started rather late, so I’m hoping most will survive.

Everyone is busy, working outside on yards and gardens or preparing for high school graduation parties right now, so there’s not much news to report. But, there is one upcoming event that you can mark on your calendars.

Connie Suing has asked me to spread the word about the annual Father’s Day Breakfast that will be held at the Crow Grange on Sunday, June 18, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Breakfast will consist of sausage, eggs and pancakes, or biscuits and gravy, juice and coffee, and all they are asking is a suggested donation of $5. You really can’t beat that.
June 16 is 8th grade recognition at Crow Middle/High School at 7:00 p.m. and the community is invited. Congratulations 8th graders!

The last day of school for the C-A-L students is June 19 and I understand that a district trip is planned to Wildlife Safari.

Some of you who are not on Facebook may not know that Lil and Gary Thompson and their son Gary are in Norway right now. Apparently, they are visiting relatives over there, and if you get a chance, check out Lil’s timeline to see the pictures she is posting. Lil is the Lorane correspondent for the Cottage Grove Sentinel and a long-time friend. One of our Groundwaters contributors just informed me that she is heading to England soon, and another is currently in Venice. It seems that overseas travel is really popular right now. Jim and I still have a lot of U.S. to discover, but this summer we’re going to stick pretty close to home and take short trips in our RV. We are planning a trip to Montana later this month to see our youngest daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Justin. They just built a new home that we haven’t seen yet, so we are looking forward to making that trip.

Speaking of Groundwaters, it’s time to remind everyone about getting some poems and short stories, essays, memoirs or non-fiction submissions to us for the 2017 anthology. The deadline is August 15, but it would really be helpful to have them earlier than that if possible. If you know someone who would like to contribute to the annual book, please have them contact me by email at edwards@groundwaterspublishing.com The first two anthologies we’ve done since we stopped printing the quarterly issues each had over 60 contributors and over 150 contributions, so Jen Chambers and I are hoping to include that many again this year, if possible. We are hoping to get more stories and poetry from the 18-and-under age group, too. So, please encourage your child or grandchild to submit, too. For the guidelines and other information, please check out our webpage at http://www.groundwaterspublishing.com/Submissions.html. We love to welcome new members to our Groundwaters family and continue offering the excellent talent of our regulars writers as well.

Sweet Lorane Community News – May 4, 2017

May 4, 2017Newspaper Columns, , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review                        
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 5, 2017
By Pat Edwards

Sunshine! Need I say more? Well, maybe… planting flowers, taking walks, driving with the windows down, wearing short sleeves and sandals and, now that Jim has put new blades on the lawnmower, moving lawns… my wintertime blues have vanished!

Speaking of lawnmowers, the Lorane Grange has scheduled a cleanup of the Grange Cemetery on Monday, May 15 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Anyone who wants to help will be welcomed. Bring your weedeaters, gloves, rakes and clippers and be prepared to use them as much as possible. There will be a couple of lawnmowers volunteered, but I don’t imagine they’ll turn anyone away who wants to bring theirs, too. Many hands make light work, as Grandpa used to say. It still rings true today.

If you miss the Grange Cemetery cleanup, you can still get in on the action. The I.O.O.F. Cemetery cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, May 20. It will begin at about 9:00 a.m. for some, and others will arrive at 11:00 a.m. after Rebekah members have done their roadside cleanup chores.

That’s the same day when the Lorane Community-Wide Yard Sale will take place. For that event, the Grange will have tables set up with garage sale items and individuals will be holding their own sales around the Lorane area between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Maps of participating locations will be available at the Lorane Family Store, the Grange and the Lorane Deli. In addition, the Lorane Christian Church will be holding a bake sale that day in front of the church. Tables are still available to rent at the Grange for $10. Call Jeri Porter at 541-942-2448 if you are interested in renting one.

On Sunday, May 14, the Crow Grange will be having its annual Mother’s Day breakfast from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Breakfast will include pancakes or biscuits and gravy,  sausage, eggs, juice and coffee for a $5 suggested donation. You can’t beat that and you don’t have to fight Eugene traffic! My kids took me there a couple of years ago and it was a special treat. It’s so hard to get everyone together in once place these days… after all, we have so many mothers, including in-laws, in the family now. I’m not the only one. They need to be celebrated, too. This is a perfect way to say, “I love you, Mom!”

Don’t forget the Spring Arts Festival being held in the Crow High School gym on May 16 at 5:30 p.m. You will entertained by the Crow Middle/High School drama club, band and choir.  Art, made by the students, will be on display and for sale. Tickets to the event are $5 per person. For further information, contact Linda Lay, President of the Crow Booster Club, at 541-844-5850. All proceeds earned will benefit K-12 students throughout the district.

Happy May, everyone!

Sweet Lorane Community News – November 3, 2016

November 3, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
November 3, 2016
By Pat Edwards

On Thursday, November 17, the Lorane Hookery Group, sponsored by The Rural Art Center, will be on-site at the Camas Country Mill Schoolhouse (91949 Purkerson Road, between Alvadore and Junction City) hooking their rugs, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  A special guest, Tammy Pavich, writer from Rug Hooking Magazine, will be joining in. The group invites you to bring your project, ask questions and give rug hooking a try! Finished pieces will be on display.

A Meal Train has been set up by some local residents for the Bowman family who lost their little girl, Payge, to an automobile accident on Cottage Grove-Lorane Road a few weeks ago. The organizers are asking local people to help the family during this time with meals or “even with a simple prayer.” For those who want to provide a meal, go to https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/2g9z97 and enter the date and the dish that you would like to prepare for the family.

The recent barn dance-fundraiser for the Bowman family was a huge success according to the organizers, Roberta Miller and Pam Kersgaard. It was very well attended with an estimated 90 people there. Pam remembers counting 60 people on the dance floor during the Virginia Reel alone.

The dance featured the Hanson Family, an award-winning group from Veneta known for their “Western Swing, Cowboy Yodeling and Blazing Harmony.” They taught and played dances such as the Virginia Reel, Scottish Polka, the Butterfly, Cane dance, Polka, 2-Step and more. You can check them out at http://www.hansonfamilymusic.com/

Another dance is being planned in November, but they might have to find a bigger venue as the grange was absolutely packed. More later…

Here are some dates to put into your calendar… The Lorane Christian Church will host their annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Lorane Grange on November 13 at 5:00 p.m. Everyone in the community is invited.

The Lorane Taco Dinner and Bingo Night, held at the Grange, will resume on Friday, November 18, beginning at 5:30 p.m.; bingo for the whole family begins at 6:30 p.m.

The Lorane Grange’s annual Christmas Dinner is December 11 at 1:30 p.m.  Lorane residents are invited. The Grange will provide the turkey, potatoes, gravy and dressing. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish or dessert.

The Crow Grange will hold it’s annual Thanksgiving Potluck and Open House on Thursday November 16th at 6:30 p.m. The Grange provides the turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy. They ask friends and neighbors to bring a side dish and/or dessert and join them for a fun evening. Contact Connie at 541-556-2609 or Ruth at 541-935-3119 for more information.

The 2016 Groundwaters anthologies are now in the Lorane Family Store if you’ve been waiting to get one.

Jen Chambers and I just delivered our last talk of the year to the Willamette Writers group at Tsunami Books in Eugene last Thursday night. We were asked to deliver a talk called, “So You Think You Want to Self-Publish?” We had a very interested and responsive group as an audience. It’s so much fun to do these informal, interactive talks about things that we can share. It takes away the “public speaking onus” from the event and allows it to be more of discussion among people with a similar interest. Thank you, Willamette Writers, for inviting us.