Community

Sweet Lorane Community News

I know that my last column was heavy-duty, but I wanted to share my brother’s experiences with you. Jim and I went to see him again yesterday (last Wednesday), and Jimmy is in a hospice care center. Although he was visibly more frail, his spirit was as strong as ever. I’m not sure that he will still be with us by the time you read this, but he has taught me so much about how important it is to be open with your loved ones and share this final journey with them. We will grieve when he has gone, but he has instilled so much of himself in our lives these last days, that letting go will be much less traumatic. I have been blessed to have him for a brother throughout my life and, oh, how I will miss him.
Now to get back to some community matters that I need to share with you:
The Grange Thanksgiving community dinners for both Lorane and Crow have already been held, but knowing how good they are each year, I’m sure there was a nice turnout for each. I didn’t get word of their dates until it was too late to include them in my column. I apologize if some missed out who hoped to participate.
The nine-member Crow High School Band has returned from its trip to Washington, D.C. It had the distinction of being the only band in Oregon to be invited to participate in the Veteran’s Day Parade of Heroes on Saturday, Nov. 10 and a ceremony at the Iwo Jima U.S. Marine Corps Memorial on Sunday, Nov. 11.
Band member and trumpet player, Mark Simonsen, was given the honor to play “Taps” at the memorial ceremony in the nation’s capital.
I’m told that despite the very cold weather, the band members and its director, Pat Dixon, represented their school and state admirably. They not only fulfilled their obligations at the events, they all worked very hard for months to raise the needed funds to pay for their travel expenses while they were there. Thank you to Band Director, Pat Dixon, the Crow High School band and the community members who helped make such a fantastic experience happen. We are proud of each of you.
Several video recordings are posted on the Lorane and Crow Facebook pages for any of you who want to experience snippets of their performances.
Collection boxes are being placed in many of Lorane’s businesses and organizations for donated canned and non-perishable food items. These will be used for holiday baskets and provisions for those in our community who need them. Let’s all be generous enough to fill them multiple times during the holiday season so that each of us can enjoy our own celebrations with family and friends. Contact Marissa McNutt Cooper or Roberta Pietila Miller if you have questions or suggestions about what might be needed most or to nominate a person or family who would benefit.
I hope that each of you enjoys a warm and happy Thanksgiving Day this year. We really need to take time to stop and reflect on all the good things in our lives that we sometimes take for granted.
Blessings to each of you.
Be sure to check out my personal website! http://allthingslorane.com

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