Tag: Rural Art Center

Sweet Lorane Community News – January 26, 2017

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Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
January 26, 2017
By Pat Edwards

“Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows…” Well, maybe our days have not quite reached those particular sentiments expressed by Lesley Gore so many years ago, but this past week has certainly been an improvement over what we’ve been experiencing, weatherwise.

The Ukulele Club, sponsored by the Rural Art Center has resumed its lessons on Thursdays in the Crow Middle/High School music room. Age groups, 4th grade through adult, are invited to join them. Beginners meet from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. and the class for those who have already had some lessons is at 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. each Thursday afternoon. If you’re interested, plan on joining them. From what I understand, it’s a fun group.

With all the dissension over politics on a national level these days, many people are feeling helpless about not really having a say in what is happening in our country. Individuals frequently cannot see how their efforts leave any major impact. But one way that you can see result of your caring is by serving your community in some way. By doing so, you can feel a rewarding sense of pride and accomplishment. Here are some great opportunities for area residents to make a real difference in our community.

Three positions are opening on the Lorane Fire Board and they are asking for applications from local residents who are interested in having a say in how our Lorane Rural Fire Department is run. Please contact a member of the Lorane RFPD for more information. The Fire Chief is Tom Soward and the Assistant Fire Chief is Jim Bailor. 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.

In addition, the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District #66 is seeking volunteer patrons to serve on the Budget Committee this year. They will hold 2-3 meetings in May and a meeting in June with the school board and administration. If you are interested, contact Lee Ann in the district office at 541-935-2100.

I hope that these positions fill rapidly. Help is needed and the time you spend in service to your community will bring rewards, not only to Lorane or Crow, but to yourself, as well.

Sweet Lorane Community News – December 29, 2016

December 29, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
December 29, 2016
By Pat Edwards

The Lorane Directory Facebook page is adding a file for people to list their comments and feedback on various services they have used in the area. The first entry is one provided by Chris Nwk Blanchard. His family on Lorane Highway had been out of electricity for 10 days following the ice storm. They thought that Lane Electric would fix it, but didn’t realize that they would need to have a licensed electrician come to their home to repair some damage there before LEC could hook them back up to the main line. It was two days before Christmas and Chris put out a plea on the Lorane Facebook page to electrical contractors in the area who might be willing to do a last-minute job for them so that their electricity could be restored in time for Christmas. An angel in the guise of Chris Leturno of Superior Electric who lives in the Crow area immediately responded and had the work done in time to allow Lane Electric to get the family’s power restored. Not only was their best Christmas gift a warm house and restored electrical power for the Blanchard family, but, in addition, there was no charge from Superior Electric to do it. This is what holiday and community spirit are all about… neighbors helping neighbors. Thank you Chris Leturno for your kindness and goodwill. It will live on in the Lorane Directory as a recommendation for your services. I hope residents will post their recommendations for other local services they want to share, as well.

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy New Year. Our house is always pretty quiet, as Jim and I usually stay home and spend a relatively normal evening… and this year was no different. I guess that we earned the title of “party-poopers” quite some time ago.

School for the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District will be back in session on Monday, January 2, but Friday, January 6, is the first half-day scheduled to prepare student progress reports. During the scheduled half days, the Rural Art Center has a great program in place for students who want to stay and attend three hours of creativity with professional artists and a healthy snack. A suggested donation of $10/afternoon is requested, but there are scholarships available if this is a hardship. If your child is interested in attending these, contact Michael at 541-844-0543 or ruralartcenter@gmail.com for more information. There is no bus service afterwards, however, so children must be picked up promptly at 3:00 p.m.

The program for Friday, January 6 is “Baskets.” Donna Crispin, a fiber artist, will show those attending how to weave a basket with a wooden base using reeds and yarn to create a lovely, small and unique basket.

The program on Friday, February 10 will be on “Rope and Cordage.” Students will make their own jump rope with yarn and then learn how to make cord out of dried leaves. A full schedule of the RAC half-days of art activities can be found in the most recent “District Buzz” newsletter at http://www.cal.k12.or.us/district/news/12-7-16.pdf.

Shortie and I went for a walk up Easy Acres today and met a Lane County road maintenance crew cleaning up the broken branches and limbs littering the sides of the road. It’s been a huge job for them, but I really appreciate the things that they do to make our roads better and nicer to travel. I asked one of the crew members to pass on my thanks to one of his colleagues, in particular, who does such a great job of mowing the sides of the roads along Lorane Highway, especially, each summer and fall. He certainly puts a lot of TLC into the work he does.

Again, Happy New Year to all of you. Let’s hope it’s a much better one than 2016.

Sweet Lorane Community News – December 1, 2016

December 1, 2016Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
December 1, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Aww… home, sweet, home! We’re back from an amazing family vacation in Hawaii, but before I say anything about our trip, let me give my heartfelt thanks to Marissa McNutt-Cooper for her great job in covering the many Lorane holiday events that are coming up as well as other Lorane news. She was unsure of how well she’d be able to do it, but I’d say that she’s a natural. Thank you, Marissa. I owe you one!

I’m not going to be able to recap our trip in this column… it would take up the whole issue of the paper, but our Hawaiian cruise and Thanksgiving luau get-together for 18 of our family members in Hawaii provided memories that are going to last each of us a lifetime. We owe the coordination and planning of it to our daughter, Gloria Edwards, who was the big motivator in getting all of us literally “on board.” Thank you, Glo!

Now on to Lorane news and a bit from Crow… Marissa covered the detailed information on many of these events in the last two issues, but I want to provide reminders here so that you’ll be sure to have them marked on your calendars.

The Lorane Grange’s Christmas Dinner and Open House is scheduled for Sunday, December 11. Dinner will begin at 1:30 p.m. If you want to share a side dish or dessert, please feel free to bring them, but they are not required. It is free to the community, but you are asked to bring non-perishable foods to donate to the community food drive.

The food drive is also taking place at the Lorane store, deli and organizations to collect provisions to fill the Lorane Community Food Baskets for the holidays. Let’s fill them all up!

In addition to the Lorane food drive, the Crow-Applegate Church of the Nazarene is conducting its own collection for the Lane County Food Pantry from the Crow area.

Marissa McNutt Cooper of the Lorane Community Association has set up Angel Trees in the Lorane Family Store and at  Crow High School. Those who want to participate are asked to take an ornament from a tree and provide a new gift for the child or teen described on it. The unwrapped gifts should be brought back to the place where you obtained the ornament. Help to make a child’s Christmas a little brighter this year.

Also, if you know of a family that you feel would benefit from either food or a gift, please contact the local organizers so that they can be included. (For the Angel Tree, contact Marissa McNutt Cooper, 541-517-6608; for the food drive, Sande Maxwell, 541-942-5083).

Reminder: On December 9, the Lorane Eta Theta Rho #94 girls’ group is offering free child care from 4:30 to 10 p.m. at the Lorane Rebekah Lodge Hall. Games, crafts and food will be provided for a fun evening for children of all ages. Contact Tara Wigle at 541-935-5245 or Mary Houle at 541-942-9341 for more information.

The Crow Annual Alumni Basketball tournament will take place on December 9 and 10.  This year, there will be a women’s team plus a dessert social and a silent auction.  Call Linda Lay for more information, 541-844-5830.

The Rural Art Center’s movie night at Lorane Grange is December 10 and will be showing the original version of the ever popular Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Go to their website at http://www.ruralartcenter.org/movie-night for more information.

I, too, want to add my own personal condolences to the Gleason family who lost their father and grandfather, Jack Gleason, last month. Jack and Helen moved to Lorane in 1986 when Helen’s grandmother, “Grandma” Leona Williams, who had a home on Cottage Grove-Lorane Road, passed away. Their family has been a part of the Lorane community since then. Rest in Peace, Jack.

Also, while we were in Hawaii, I understand that Marjorie Parry suffered what seemed to be a stroke, although the diagnosis showed that it wasn’t. She is slowly recuperating in the hospital and has shown some improvement, but prayers and positive thoughts are being asked by the family for her complete recovery. The Wickwire and Parry families have ours. May Marge be back home soon.

Once again, thank you, Marissa, for the excellent job you did while we were away.