Tag: Crow Grange

Sweet Lorane Community News – April 28, 2016

April 28, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 28, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Thank you to Lil Thompson once again for passing on some Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District news that I can use in this week’s column. There’s not a lot of Lorane news to report right now and I haven’t come up with any ideas to share, so it’s very welcome.

Lil also reminds me that the Lorane Grange meets this month on Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. The grange is just one of our local organizations that could use new members to help carry on their many services to the community. We have very active service groups at not only the grange, but the Lorane Rebekahs, the Lorane Christian Church, the Lorane Fire Department, the Theta Rho group for young girls, a Boy Scout group, a Lorane Community Association, the Lorane Bread Basket which provides food and help to families in need, and the Senior Meals Program. I may have missed others and I apologize if I did. They could all use an infusion of new members who want to work through these organizations to serve our community. Hopefully the new Lorane Directory page on Facebook will be including information on each of these organizations, their meeting days/times, their visions and needs and their contact information. Helping others always seems to help make the problems in our own personal lives much more manageable.

Now, for the school district news…

On May 12, the C-A-L School District will be hosting a Kindergarten Roundup event at 3:15 p.m. at Applegate Elementary. If you have a child who will be 5 years of age prior to September 1, 2016, he or she is eligible for the 2016-17 school year.  Applegate offers a full-day program, five days a week. Come meet your teacher, see the classroom and allow your child to interact in a classroom setting. Be sure to bring your child’s immunization records and a copy of their birth certificate. For further information, call the district office at 541-935-2100.

Because the area schools are aging, the district has been working with an architecture firm, community members and staff to develop a 10-year Master Plan for repairs, renovations and/or replacements of the current buildings and property. In order to allow district residents to review the findings and see, firsthand, what is being discussed, there will be two open house events and tours of the schools held in May. The first will take place on Tuesday, May 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Crow Middle/High School. Then, on Saturday, May 14, a second open house will be held at the Applegate Elementary from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Your input is being sought once you have had a chance to review what is being considered.

Congratulations to the staff and students at the Crow High/Middle School for making the U.S. News and World Report’s top schools in Oregon list.

Don’t forget to treat your favorite mother to the Crow Grange’s Mother’s Day Breakfast on Sunday, May 8, if you’re fortunate to still have your mother in your life. I no longer am able to do special little things for my mother. She passed away at the age of 96 in 2012 and I still miss her. It’s an unbreakable bond for many people… it has been for me. Honor your mother… and your father… for giving you, not only life, but the tools to allow you to maneuver and make your way through this crazy world we live in.

Sweet Lorane Community News – January 07, 2016

January 7, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
January 7, 2016
By Pat Edwards

I’m baack!! I didn’t intend to abandon you for 2 weeks, but I guess that’s what I did. The holiday season is so packed full of “busy” that I am always glad to get back to a normal – or what’s “normal” for me – routine.

I hope that each of you had a joyous season and are looking forward to a positive and eventful New Year. It’s fun to start off with a relatively clean calendar. Oh, there are the dental and eye appointments that were made months ago, but it’s a luxury to look at whole weeks where nothing is planned other than what catches my fancy each day. I’m working on an interesting book project right now, but that will be completed within the next two weeks. I’ve got others waiting in the wings as soon as I complete that, but my goal this year is to begin traveling with my husband… nothing lengthy or major until fall, but we both want to take time to visit some of the places in our beautiful country that we haven’t seen together.

Jim will officially be out of the cattle business next week and I’ll have to do some creative thinking to keep him occupied with things we both enjoy. We have plans to fly down to Arizona for a week to visit our youngest daughter and son-in-law, and hopefully take a car trip to Missouri this summer to visit Jim’s namesake nephew and his family with some side trips to some of Jim’s childhood homes in Nebraska. Then, this fall, our whole extended family is hoping to gather for a group Hawaiian cruise.

Our grandson Kevin is back in the area and he will keep an eye on the store and home front when we are away. Oh! It’s good to have him home. We’ve missed him these past few years while he’s been in Klamath Falls.

I hope to continue my columns each week… maybe giving you a bit of a travelogue on our adventures, but always to share the activities and news of our wonderful hometown of Lorane.

Now on to some of that news… The Lorane Grange’s monthly Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo nights will resume on Saturday, January 23 at 5:30 p.m. If you haven’t been to one of these, I strongly recommend it. It’s good food and fun for the whole family. The dinner always includes a large helping of spaghetti, garlic bread, Caesar salad, beverages and a variety of desserts. Bingo games for the whole family begin at about 6:30. Our entertaining caller is Randy Eschleman and his sidekick Marty. The prizes alternate between items from the prize table and increasing amounts of cash as the evening proceeds. The last blackout game, if won within a specified amount of numbers, is over $100 with a guaranteed payout of $25, I believe. The biggest payoffs, though, are the laughs and camaraderie that we all enjoy. Come join us!

Crow Grange hosts a similar evening each 1st and 3rd Saturdays beginning with dinner at 6:15 p.m. (…and throughout the evening.) They also offer two choices of dinner entrees as well as a wonderful selection of pies and beverages. Dan and Connie Suing are the bingo hosts/callers. The bingo games are also a lot of fun and families are welcome. Both granges depend on the proceeds of these offerings to help maintain their buildings and activities. It’s a fun way to help support them.

The Lorane Rebekah’s are still accepting and collecting scrap metal.  There is a container at the Lodge or call  Sande Maxwell (541-942-5083 or sandemaxwell@wildblue.net) if you want to schedule a pick up.

Local Lane County deputy-on-medical leave, Michael Matchulat, spent some time in the hospital this past week with an infection. He’s had some major surgeries to try and stem the spread of cancer and he continues to need our positive thoughts and prayers. His Facebook account is under the name of Mychel Matchy and I know that he enjoys hearing from all of his friends. He has been posting updates on his battle with this horrendous disease and I hope that you’ll send him your special wishes and prayers.

Sweet Lorane Community News – November 12, 2015

November 12, 2015Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
November 12, 2015
By Pat Edwards

Winter is truly approaching now. Even though we’ve had some sunshine, the cold dampness seems to be seeping into my bones these days. Even though our thermostat is kept between 70 to 72 degrees, I find I frequently need to wear a sweater to stay warm in our large common areas of the house. The dogs and I still take our almost-daily mile-long walks up the hill, and the exercise helps with my “internal heating” problem. I’d like to go for longer distances, but for Shortie, with his basketball-size abdominal tumor, the mile is his maximum, and I won’t go without him. He loves it so. I really dislike the ellipticals and stationary bicycles, although I will turn to them as the weather gets worse. I miss the wind and even a few sprinkles in my face, but most of all, I miss the scenery of those walks this time of year.

Lorane and Crow are gearing up for the holidays. By the time you read this, the Lorane Thanksgiving dinner will have taken place, but the free Crow community potluck for Thanksgiving is still in sight. It will be held on Thursday, November 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Crow Grange will provide turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish and/or dessert. They are also accepting donations of canned foods for the Crow holiday food baskets.

Lorane’s own Michael Matchulat, who is fighting Stage 4 colorectal cancer, is taking an aggressive plan of attack of surgeries and treatments programmed by a special team of surgeons from the Oregon Health Sciences University in order to get on top of his cancer. Michael’s first surgery on Friday, November 20, will involve removing the 4 or 5 malignant tumors from the left lobe of his liver. It will be followed later by the removal of his whole right lobe. Obviously, this young man needs all of the prayers and support we can muster for him. We all admire his openness and grit in dealing with the grueling fight he is waging. For details and more information on what he is facing, check out his postings on his Facebook page in the name of Mychel Matchy.

The West Lane Holiday Bazaar is approaching fast… this coming Friday and Saturday, November 20 and 21. Please keep our Lane County Author’s booth in mind that will be set up at the Applegate Regional Theater in the former Central School gymnasium. Books make excellent gifts and we will have several local authors there to sell and autograph their books for you including Michael Foster, Michael J. “Hoss” Barker, Ava (Muriel) Linder, Terah Van Dusen, Joe Blakely and Jennifer Chambers. I will be there on Friday, too.

And, remember… The Farm Store has our Groundwaters 2015: an Anthology on hand for gifts, as well. Your support of local writers and poets will be most appreciated!