text: December 3, 2020Newspaper ColumnsAngel Tree, Holday food baskets, Territorial Road Project, Vera Loveda Woodpaedwards Leave a comment
  Fern Ridge Review
  Creswell Chronicle
  Sweet Lorane Community News
  December 3, 2020
  By Pat Edwards
  The Lorane holiday food drive has begun and an Angel Tree has been placed at the Lorane Family Store from which ornaments can be selected for each of the area children who can use some Christmas cheer this year. For those in Crow who will not have access to a tree at either of the schools, you can contact Paula May (541-729-3999) at the Applegate Elementary who will be bringing a few ornaments to the staff there who are working with students remotely. Each ornament will have the age, gender and description of a child or teen in the district and what they are hoping to get under their tree this year. The committee responsible for keeping ornaments on the tree request that if you know of families in the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District whose Christmas could be brighter, please let Marissa McNutt Cooper (541-517-6608) or Paula know.
  When you select an ornament on the tree, purchase a new gift and return it, unwrapped, with the angel ornament to the Lorane Family Store. The gifts must be received no later than Monday, December 14. Monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase any gifts for the children whose ornaments are not taken and other needed necessities.
  As for the food drive, there is also a food box available for food donations at the Lorane Family Store. There will also be a “Drive-and-Drop” food donation event on Saturday, December 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Lorane Grange parking lot. Volunteers, wearing masks, will accept your donations of non-perishable canned and dry pantry staples as well as monetary donations to the Lorane Community Association. Suggestions for non-perishable food include: canned goods, peanut butter, jelly/jam, cereal, soup, stuffing mix, pasta, macaroni and cheese, rice, tuna, flour sugar, nuts, dried fruits, etc. Donations of frozen turkeys and hams are also needed. If you have one or more of these to donate, call Jennifer at 785-318-1020 to make arrangements on accepting those. They will be kept frozen at the Lorane Fire Station until given out with the food boxes.
  A similar food drive is taking place in the Crow Grange parking lot, next to the Applegate Elementary School, on Sunday, December 13 between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
  These events are sponsored by the Lorane Volunteer Fire Department, the Lorane Grange, Lorane Rebekah Lodge, Lorane Christian Church, Lorane Community Association, as well as the Crow Grange.
  We were notified last Tuesday that the Territorial Road project at Stony Point was being shut down for the winter. “Travel through the construction area is back to two-way travel and (the traffic) signals have been removed.” Concrete barriers now line the steep drop-off areas to ensure that cars don’t slide off the road when it’s icy.
  “County staff and the contractor will continue to monitor the project site throughout the winter to ensure the road stays safe to travel. Construction will resume once the weather improves next spring 2021…”
  Sadly, a life-long resident of Crow, Oregon—Vera Loveda Wood—passed away on November 19, 2020, at the age of 87. Vera was born to Ambrose and Edna Canaday on March 12, 1933 in Crow, Oregon. She married Harvey Wood on August 7, 1953 in Elmira, Oregon, and they lived the majority of their lives in Crow, recently celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary together. Jim and I send our condolences to the Wood family.
  Sweet Lorane Community News, December 19, 2019
  December 19, 2019Newspaper ColumnsAngel Tree, Christmas lights, Fern Ridge Community Choir, Sharon Annettpaedwards Leave a comment
  Fern Ridge Review
  Creswell Chronicle
  Sweet Lorane Community News
  December 19, 2019
  By Pat Edwards
  The holiday season is upon us in full force right now. The season is shining through the beautiful Christmas lights and lawn decorations as we travel the roads around Lorane.
  Also, for the past several years, I have loved driving down Oregon Avenue in Creswell. The beautiful twinkling white lights on the trees lining the street really fill me with the spirit of the season. I feel that I’m in a fairyland. Good job, Creswell!
  And, although I haven’t seen the display yet, I’ve been treated to pictures of the bright and colorful lights of the “tunnel” at the Village Green Christmas Market in Cottage Grove. It’s drawing a lot of visitors from what I understand.
  I know that the Veneta area had its own light parade a week ago and beautiful displays, too, but for some reason, I haven’t had the opportunity to go through there after dark this year. I hope to do so this coming week, if possible… maybe Jim and I can have dinner there before one of my Fern Ridge Holiday Concert performances at the Applegate Regional Theater which, by the time you read this, will have already happened this past weekend.
  Speaking of that, I want to let everyone know how thankful I am that I did not give up on the choir as I was close to doing. At the first rehearsal, I felt that I could never learn the parts I was to sing because I have always sang the melodies of the carols I have always loved and wasn’t trained to read vocal music that frequently didn’t follow those melodies. But, as each weekly practice came and went, I was able to figure it out for myself and as I prepare for the first of the three performances this weekend, I find I have enjoyed doing it very much, and am going to miss it and the great group of people I have been working with. Thanks to all of you for your patience while I made my way through the learning process.
  As I write this, on Thursday, December 19, Lorane resident, Sharon Annett is in New York, undergoing surgery to remove a tumor that is causing paralysis on the right side of her face. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Annett family right now as are those of many others who are hoping that the surgery is a complete success. The GoFundMe account that was set up in Sharon’s name has grown beyond the amount set to help pay for the travel and other expenses of the rare, specialized surgery, but as Shauna Davis, a close family friend, wrote recently on her Facebook page, “Even though the goal amount says it has been matched, there is still a big need!!! If you know Sharon and she touched your life, drove your bus to school or a game, invited you into her home, made you a sandwich, has been a listening ear, or if you are just touched by reading who she is now, please consider donating! Every little bit goes a long way!”
  Godspeed to Sharon, her husband Jim, and the rest of her family. We are all with you this journey in whatever way we can. We hope to hear positive news soon.
  The local Angel Tree and food and clothing box groups report that there has been a huge response for our local families in need. The volunteers met at the Lorane Grange yesterday and began wrapping all of the gifts donated to the area children and putting together the food boxes. A warm clothing closet is also being made available from donated coats, jackets and other warm clothing for those who are in need, as well. Good job, Lorane and Crow!!
  Sweet Lorane Community News, December 12, 2019
  December 12, 2019Newspaper ColumnsAngel Tree, Donna Moore, Sharon Armstrong Annettpaedwards Leave a comment
  Fern Ridge Review
  Creswell Chronicle
  Sweet Lorane Community News
  December 12, 2019
  By Pat Edwards
  Another of our long-time Lorane residents has passed. Donna Moore was a kind, sweet woman. She and her husband Larry had been married for 68 years and were both active in the Lorane Grange and the Lorane Christian Church. Their daughter, Martha, and son-in-law, Randy Eschleman also have lived in Lorane for many years.
  Randy paid tribute to her recently in announcing her passing on Facebook:
  My mother-in-law was a very special and loving woman. To know her was to love her; she had a servant’s heart. She was ready to go to heaven and trade in her broken, earthly body for a new sports model. I have no doubt that she will be waiting for the rest of us with that warm smile and fresh flowers in our rooms.
  Donna’s celebration of life, which was held this past week at the Lorane Christian Church, was well-attended with many people paying their respects to her and her family.
  Another one of our local women—Sharon Armstrong Annett—is facing some rare, specialized surgery in New York on December 19 to remove a non-malignant “schwannoma” tumor which had paralyzed the right side of her face last February. It was originally diagnosed as Bell’s Palsy, but was later determined to be the tumor. Unfortunately, simply removing the tumor would not correct the paralysis, but a specialist in New York has developed a way to cut a nerve from her ankle to replace the nerve in her neck that is being cut in order to remove the tumor which, in turn, will hopefully allow her face to return to its normal features.
  A GoFundMe account was set up to help cover Sharon’s and her support team’s travel and expenses while in New York that won’t be covered by her insurance.
  Sharon is a long-time school bus driver for the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District and is beloved by the whole community. She and her husband Jim Annett have lived in the community their whole lives and during the trip, she will have his love and support as well as that of their adult children, Josh, Jeremy and Erica. To donate, go to the GoFundMe website and search for “Sharon Annett.” May your surgery and healing go well, Sharon! Our love and prayers are with you on this journey.
  A quick note: My husband Jim has been pain-free now for two and a half weeks since he received his second epidural injection. We’re praying that it continues to work for him.
  Marissa McNutt Cooper of the Lorane Community Association, says there is an increase in the number of children who will have ornaments on this year’s Angel Trees at the Lorane Family Store and Crow Middle/High Schools. She’s put out a call for everyone who wants to participate, to either select an ornament featuring one of these kids and purchase a new, unwrapped gift that can be delivered to them this holiday season, or donate to the fund that will be used to buy gifts for those whose ornaments remain on the trees. They need to begin wrapping and distributing these gifts by December 18.
  The food boxes are also in place and your food donations should be made this week if at all possible.
  Let’s make sure that all of our area families are able to celebrate the love and goodwill of this beautiful season.