Fern Ridge-Tribune News
The Chronicle (Creswell)
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 13, 2022
By Pat Edwards

I welcome the coming of fall this year—well, to be honest, I guess I’m glad to see its arrival every year—but this year it’s especially welcome for some reason. This past spring and summer have been especially difficult for both Jim and me… the selling of our store that we owned for almost 45 years in early March, Jim’s back surgery, three runs to the emergency room, his rehab, the recovery process, and Covid have taken a lot out of us both. I’ve been struggling to focus on anything other than our immediate situation, and in the past few months, I’ve felt my writing, especially, has gone through a rather rough patch. I’ve asked my editors to allow me to send in columns only when I have something to write about other than health issues.

Our recent trip to New England seemed to cleanse my brain a bit, allowing me to interact with others socially as well as see and experience a beautiful, different part, of our great country that we’ve never visited before. I boarded the plane in Boston feeling refreshed and revitalized. Unfortunately, on the 6-hour flight home, I sat next to a woman who was obviously not feeling well, and three days after we got home, I tested positive for Covid. Consequently, last week was spent in isolation—even from Jim—but, I didn’t feel all that bad. I never ran a fever and only had minor head cold symptoms… and fortunately, Jim didn’t get it.

So, I’m going to use the rest of this week’s column to tell you about some great community events planned for both the Lorane and Crow areas and we’ll see where we go from there.

One of the exciting upcoming Halloween events is something I’ve been wanting to tell everyone about for some time. The “Haunted Barn of Old Lorane” began a few years ago in a barn on the property of Shauna Doughty and Aaron Scaletti. Shauna was born and raised in Lorane and has always wanted to do something special for the community she loves. She and Aaron started out with handmade Halloween displays and populated it with ghosts and goblins for the local kids and their parents. Each year since, it has grown with the help of other volunteers and has become popular with not only Lorane residents, but some from out of the community as well. Shauna says that, this year, they have been working for the last several months to add new things and are extremely proud of what they have accomplished.

The Haunted Barn of Old Lorane will be open October 21 and 22; and October 28 and 29, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. each night. It’s free, but donations are accepted. The address is 80421 Old Lorane Road, Lorane, OR 97451. (Old Lorane Road runs past the fire department, lodge, church and grange in Lorane.)

Then, on Friday, October 21, the Applegate Elementary in Crow is hosting a Harvest Festival from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Join everyone for an evening filled with free carnival games, costume contests, trick-or-treating and a Haunted House.

Also scheduled for October 21, is Lorane Grange’s Dessert and Bingo Night, beginning at 7:00 p.m. No mention has been made to wear a Halloween costume, but ghosts and goblins are welcome there, too.

On Halloween night, everyone is invited to take part in the annual Lorane Christian Church’s “Trunk ‘n Treat” get-together in their parking lot where those who choose, can bring their cars with decorated trunks and Halloween goodies to give out to local trick-or-treaters. Everyone is encouraged to wear their favorite costumes and enjoy the evening, drinking hot cider, sampling the goodies and visiting with their neighbors and friends.

There’s lots to choose from in the coming weeks. Let’s all get out and support our communities and enjoy the festivities!