Sweet Lorane Community News – October 22, 2015

October 22, 2015Newspaper ColumnsCreswell High School, Hannah Edwards, Italy, Linsey Kau, Lorane Family Store, Rural Art Center, Soverns, Sportsman Dinner and Auction, The Farm Store, Trunk or Treatpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 22, 2015
By Pat Edwards

A reminder to those of you who are outdoors enthusiasts. The third annual Sportsman’s Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday evening, October 24, in the Crow Middle/High School gym. The barbecue dinner is $16, but there is no admission fee to the auction. This event is sponsored by the C-A-L Booster Club as one of its two major fundraisers. Proceeds go towards funding projects for all age levels throughout the school district.

The Lorane Trunk or Treat will be happening again this year on Halloween, October 31. Decorate your car trunks or pickup beds and bring treats for the little ghosts and goblins that show up in the parking lot in front of the Lorane Christian Church from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. There will be hot spiced cider and hot soup for all. Adults are also encouraged to come in costume. There will be a big woodstove for warmth if the night is cold. Come join your neighbors for some fun and conversation.

Crow will be having its own Trunk or Treat party that night at the Nazarene Church from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. They’ll have booths, prizes and hot dogs!

The very active Rural Art Center will sponsor its next half day of art on November 4 in the art room at Applegate Elementary. Portland artist, Jani Hoberg will be sharing some of her watercolor techniques. Be sure and contact Alyssa Shepherd of RAC, 541-556-8151 or malyssa2@yahoo.com, to get more information.

The Lorane Fire Department is looking for some more volunteers. If interested, please contact them directly.

The release of our Groundwaters’ first annual issue is complete with the Eugene distribution held last Wednesday at the Songbrook Community Center on Royal Avenue. Thank you to Vicky Soverns and the Farm Store in Veneta for agreeing to be the West Lane distributor of the book. For those wanting to obtain a copy, stop by the Farm Store on Territorial, south of Veneta. It is also available at the Lorane Family Store in Lorane. Thanks to all of our contributors, supporters, readers and advertisers for making it happen!

I need to make mention of the special pride that Jim and I are feeling towards one our older granddaughters, Linsey Kau. She graduated from Crow High School in 2010, obtained her B.A. at the University of Oregon and will be returning there next spring to earn her Masters’ degree. She left on September 29 for Macerata, Italy where she is living in the dormitory of a relatively small rural school and teaching English to Italian children for three months. It was quite an undertaking for Lins whose comfort zone has always been close to home. Since her arrival, she and other young teachers-to-be who are there on the same type of program, have been taking weekend excursions to visit other areas of Italy… so far, Florence and Venice. She’s saving Rome until she’s joined by her boyfriend, Brent, for the last two weeks before returning home.

For those who know Lins or even those who don’t, the blog that she has been writing is highly recommended reading. It’s not only filled with her wonderful experiences since she’s been there, but also her thoughts, struggles to adapt and how the experience is opening her eyes and her heart to the world. (http://linseytakesitaly.blogspot.it/2015/10/day-one.html) Her Facebook page is also loaded with the beautiful pictures of Italy that she has been taking, too. She’s allowing us to live her experience with her through her writing. Best of all, though, was the early morning phone call that I got this morning… “Hello, Grandma! This is Linsey in Italy!”

Also, kudos to the Creswell JV1 volleyball team for which another granddaughter, Hannah Edwards, plays! Like the varsity, they are undefeated! Good job, girls!

Sweet Lorane Community News – October 15, 2015

October 15, 2015Newspaper Columnsanthology, Crow High School, Groundwaterfs, Groundwaters Live!, Lloyd Porter, Rural Art Center, Sportsman Auction, ukulele, volleyballpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 15, 2015
By Pat Edwards

People in Lorane have been asking me for updates on Lloyd Porter who had a massive stroke about a month ago. It left him paralyzed on his left side and unable to speak. His wife Jeri was able to provide me with some details… Since Lloyd was released from the hospital, he has been at the Hillside Heights Rehab Center at 28th and McLean in Eugene. They are now trying to get him into the Oregon Rehab Center at the Sacred Heart-University Campus site where he will undergo intensive therapy for about 3 weeks to help him transition to his home environment. Jeri is hoping that will happen in the next one or two weeks.

Lloyd is able to speak in sentences now, but has problems finding the right words still. He’s kept his fantastic sense of humor and when he can’t find the right word, rather than showing distress, he will recite favorite phrases with a twinkle in his eye. His left side paralysis is improving, too. He can cross one leg over the other now. When I asked Jeri if he is open to visitors, she told me that, yes… he definitely would love to have his friends drop by to visit. He will probably be at Hillside for another week, at least.

Groundwaters had a wonderful turnout at our Groundwaters Live! Program held at the Fern Ridge Library last Tuesday to introduce our new “first annual issue” of the popular magazine. I’ll let Sandy Larsen tell you about it in the article that she is writing for the Fern Ridge Review, but if anyone is wanting to obtain a copy of the book, we are trying to set up distributors in the various areas around Lane County. It will definitely be in the Lorane Family Store in Lorane after we’ve gotten a new deliver of the books. Hopefully, we’ll get someone set up to carry them in Veneta, Cottage Grove and/or Creswell and Eugene, as well. In the meantime, contact me at edwards@groundwaterspublishing.com or paedwards42@yahoo.com if you would like to reserve a copy. They are $12 each.

The Rural Art Center’s mural project has unveiled the beautiful new historical mural painted by Crow Middle School students under the supervision of muralist Jessilyn Brinkerhoff. Funded by a grant from Target, their work was done through their American History and Literature classes and the result is a striking 20′ x 2.5′ painting that will hang in the library at the Crow Middle/High School. What a wonderful lesson in both history and art for our students! Thank you, RAC!

The next Lorane Grange’s Spaghetti Dinner and Family Bingo night will be held on Friday, October 23, beginning with dinner at 5:30 p.m. Bingo will begin at 6:30 p.m. No one won the blackout jackpot last month, so it’s growing. Come out for a great evening of good food and company plus lots of laughs.

Congratulations to the Crow High School volleyball team. They are entering the playoffs on Saturday, October 24, to determine the 3rd seed into the State Tournament. It will be held at Crow High School gym at 1:30 p.m. Come out and cheer them on!

When the game on October 24 is over, though, you’ll need to head back to Crow to attend the Crow Booster Club’s annual Sportsman Auction to be held this year in the Crow Middle/High School gymnasium. Doors open and the silent auction begins at 5:00 p.m., followed at 6:00 p.m. by a BBQ dinner. The live auction begins at 7:00 p.m. The items being offered include “hunting, fishing and camping gear; trips; spa, tools, quilts, wine, an off-road expedition trailer, and much more.” It will also include prizes provided by the elementary classes and baskets of goodies from the middle and high school classes. Besides the silent auction, there will be a dessert auction, too. The proceeds from this event will go toward helping the students in the entire school district… not just the athletic program. Dinner tickets are $16, but there is no charge for the auction. To get your tickets and reserve your spot, contact crowboosterclub@yahoo.com or call Linda Lay (541-844-5840) or Diane Lassen (541-517-9030). Come out and support your C-A-L schools!

Reminder: free ukulele lessons for Crow-Applegate-Lorane students in grades 4-12 will begin on October 15 and held every Thursday from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Authentic ukuleles will be provide. The first concert performance will be held the night of the December RAC dinner and movie at Lorane Grange. Contact Pat Dixon (pdixon@cal.k12.or.us) or Lisa Livelybrooks (ruralartcenter@gmail) for more information.

Sweet Lorane Community News – October 8, 2015

October 8, 2015Newspaper ColumnsCrow Booster Club, Lorane Grange, Lovina Ford, Rural Art Center, Sportsman Auction, ukulelepaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 8, 2015
By Pat Edwards

It seems as though I’ve had to report sad news quite a bit in this column over the past month. I have another to report, and then we’ll try to get back into the things that don’t tend to pull so painfully on our heartstrings.

Two weeks ago, I learned of the passing of one of my very favorite people from the Crow area. I had not known Lovina Ford long, as so many others in the Crow area have. We became “table-mates” with Ruth Teafatiller at the Crow Grange bingo nights about 3 years ago. Lovina had been attending the twice-a-month sessions with her young great-grandson, Brendon, for several years before that. It was obvious how much she enjoyed Brendon’s company. It was only one of many activities they did together, one-on-one. You could see the strong bond that connected them. I was told that Lovina volunteered at the Applegate Elementary in Brent’s classroom on a regular basis and was adored by not only the children, but the teachers and administrators, as well.

She always had a sparkle in her eye and a smile on her face and she obviously enjoyed life. Like Charlotte Mitchell, who also recently passed, there was a lot of use of the word “spit-fire” in the stories told about her. Unfortunately, Lovina suffered a massive stroke about a year ago and had been in rehab centers and under the care of caretakers since then. She passed away on September 21.

I attended a standing-room-only memorial service for her at the Eugene Elks Lodge last week and learned about the phenomenal life this beautiful, vibrant lady lived on their ranch with her husband Steve, a rodeo cowboy, and how they raised not only their own 3 children, but a good many of the neighbors’, as well. Brenden was at the service with the rest of the close-knit family and a recording that he made, singing one of their favorite songs, was played. Apparently, following her stroke, Brenden loved to visit his great-grandma, and brightened her days by singing to her. Brenden is immensely rich in having had her in his life, as are we all, and I can only imagine how much he will miss her. Rest in peace, Lovina!

I missed telling you about the first in the 2015 Rural Art Center Movie Series at the Lorane Grange. This year’s theme is “Public Domain” and features a group of oldies-but-goodies. The October movie was “Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein” (1948).

According to a RAC promo: “We’re serving soup (including a vegetarian choice) and bread before the festivities. After all, it’s about more than entertainment; it’s about rubbing elbows with far flung neighbors, getting in out of the cold and damp, supporting local organizations, door prizes, popcorn and coffee, the surprises and the good movies. Gather at the Lorane Grange at 6:00 p.m. every second Saturday of the month, October through March.”

The November 14 movie will be “Royal Wedding” with Frank Sinatra (1951). In addition to dancing with his sister (Jane Powell), and his new love (Sarah Churchill) Astaire dances with a hat rack, and on the walls and ceiling of his room in this romantic musical comedy set in London at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding. (93 min). The shorts and entertainment accompanying it will be a vintage dance shorts collage and a mystery guest dancer. It’s pie night – bring a pie to share. The non-profit beneficiary will be the RAC scholarship fund.

The full schedule and all the information you might need about this series can be found at http://www.ruralartcenter.org/#!movie-night/ck0q.

The next Spaghetti dinner and bingo night at the Lorane Grange will be Friday, October 23 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Just a reminder. Now that the Lorane Deli is closed, there is a regular group meeting for coffee, muffins and conversation each Wednesday morning at the Rebekah Lodge from 7:00-9:00 a.m.

The free Ukulele Club is starting up on October 15 at Crow Middle/High School. I believe that it’s open to all ages who want to learn how to play the ukulele. Contact the district music teacher, Pat Dixon, at pdixon@cal.k12.or.us or Lisa Livelybrooks at ruralartcenter@gmail.com for more information.

Volunteers are needed to help artists teach K-6 half day art classes. Contact ruralartcenter@gmail.com or call Alyssa -541-556-8151.

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Crow Booster Club’s Annual Sportsman Auction to be held on October 24. Classes K-12 will participate with projects and the Crow Middle/High School will have themed baskets to auction in addition to the other many spectacular items that will offered. This event has proved to be highly successful and helps support the Booster Club’s funding of the C-A-L School District’s student activities, athletics and other projects benefiting all age groups from K-12.

Thanks to Lil Thompson for providing me with these school activity reports. We’re hoping that someone will come forward who can write a column specifically for the C-A-L schools! Interested? Contact the district office at 541-935-2100.