Sweet Lorane Community News – February 02, 2017

February 2, 2017Newspaper ColumnsBudget committee position, Crow-Applegate-Lorane, Friendship Dinner, Lorane Christian Church, Lorane Community Association, Lorane Dinner and Bingo Night, Lorane Elementary School, Lorane Fire Department, Lorane Grange, Markay Wilson, Pam Kersgaard, School Boardpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
February 2, 2017
By Pat Edwards

The Lorane Christian Church’s Friendship No-Host Dinner will be held at Sizzler Steak House, Gateway Blvd, Springfield on Sunday, February 12, at 5:30 p.m. They hold this each year as a purely social get-together for the people of Lorane. It’s a great way to renew old friendships and get caught up on all of the news. If you are interested in signing up for a reservation, call MarKay Wilson (541-942-7252) and let her know that you plan to attend.

Last Saturday, the Lorane Grange enjoyed a fantastic turnout for its spaghetti dinner and bingo night. Lil Thompson tallied 40 who ate dinner and 23 who stayed to play bingo. The next night in the series will be Saturday, February 25. Plan on joining us.

A group of Lorane residents are trying to rekindle interest in the Lorane Community Association which suspended meetings over the past year or so. Pam Kersgaard and Beth Robinson were encouraging those interested to meet with them for breakfast and conversation at the Lorane Deli last Friday and they are hoping that maybe the social setting will lead to a renewed interest in community projects.

The Crow-Applegate-Lorane School Board will be hold its February meeting at the Lorane Grange on February 16. An executive session begins at 6:30 p.m. and the open board meeting will begin at 7:00 pm. This is a perfect opportunity to learn about and get involved with the operation of our children’s schools.

With that said, the school board is needing to fill some vacancies on its Budget Committee. Participants will need to commit to 3 or 4 meetings during May and June. Call the District office at 541-935-2100 to request an application if you are interested.

And, as I mentioned in last week’s column there are three Lorane Fire Department board positions available that need to be filled. Go to their website at https://loraneorfd.samariteam.com to send a message or call and/or leave a message by phone at 541-942-1233.

On a personal note, I learned last week that the former Lorane Elementary School, that a large contingent of community members were hoping to obtain and establish as a community center, is once again being offered for sale by the latest owners. We were not able to work out the details to obtain ownership, unfortunately. Now the price tag is $650,000 for the buildings and 4 acres of land, or a package deal of $1,000,000 with a “Tier 1, processing, retail cannabis uses allowed.” That’s not what I had ever envisioned for what was for decades, the heart and soul of Lorane.

Lorane Community News – April 7, 2016

April 7, 2016Newspaper ColumnsCarol Morehead, Effie Hughes, Jeri Porter, Jim Bailor, Lorane Christian Church, Lorane Fire Department, Lorane Grange, Lorane Rebekahs, Lorane Talent Show, Markay Wilson, Rural Art Centerpaedwards Leave a comment

Oh, it’s so hard to sit at this computer for long. With the beautiful spring weather we’ve been having, I’ve been bitten by the spring fever bug hard. I was really needing a good dose of that sunshine and warmth for not only my physical, but mental health, especially. It’s been a rough few months and that sunshine is really welcome.

I’ve built a petunia planter, which is already filled, planted 2 new rose bushes, and several tubs of flowers. I even jumped the gun a bit by planting a bunch of strawberries in a planter box and some tomatoes and cucumbers in another one. I hope I haven’t jinxed everyone’s hopes for no additional frost this spring, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Apparently the recent Lorane Talent Show, sponsored by the Rural Art Center and the Lorane Grange, was a huge success this year. In past years, there are sometimes rather small turnouts, but Lil Thompson reported that 11 different contestants from not only Lorane, but from neighboring communities of Sutherlin, Elmira, Eugene, Triangle Lake, Cottage Grove and Crow participated. In addition, over 50 people turned out to show their support and appreciation for the talent offered. It was a fun time for all as everyone visited over refreshments in the grange kitchen following the entertainment.

In addition to the talent show, the Lorane Grange hosted its annual Outstanding Community Awards to honor those chosen by each of the area’s organizations. Those receiving the awards this year are Markay Wilson (Lorane Christian Church), Jim Bailor (Lorane Fire Department), Jeri Porter and Carol Morehead (Lorane Grange), Effie Hughes (Lorane Rebekahs) and the Rural Art Center for its community service programs.

For you parents and grandparents who want to be able to check out the dates and times of upcoming Crow-Applegate-Lorane school district activities and athletics, information will now be included on the District’s website at http://www.cal.k12.or.us. It will also have instructions or an app on the website to enable you to access info by your cell phone or tablet.

There’s some exciting news on the horizon for C-A-L students who will be 16 or older by June 2017. Plans are being discussed for a 12-day European adventure to Greece, Italy and Spain. A very important meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. for parents and students interested in such a trip. If you are unable to attend or need further information, you may contact Ms. Smith at asmith@cal.k12.or.us.

Both Lorane and Crow will be holding their dinner and bingo fundraisers on the same night this month – Saturday, April 16. For Lorane, dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and bingo at 6:30 p.m. This will be the last one until September.

Crow’s doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and bingo begins at 7:00 p.m. Please be sure to support our local granges. Lorane and Crow Granges have both given so much to their communities – not just their members – and it’s important to support them as much as possible. They are a large part of what makes our communities strong and so very special.

Happy spring everyone! It’s the time for track meets, flowers and gardens. My favorite time of the year!