August 25, 2021

It might bake you crazy to hear this, but Team Fergmeijer have recently been recognized as cupcake connoisseurs! It’s a pretty big deal - we’re like the local version of the Carbdashians. But never fear, dear readers, though we may occasionally be whisk-takers, we will never dessert you for the big leagues.

What’s that? You haven’t been to the Kagawong market yet this year? Drop this paper (well, finish reading our column, obviously) and head to the market pavilion in downtown Kagawong to catch one of the last market Wednesdays of the summer! Over 40 vendors will be set up from 10am-3pm with arts & crafts, clothing, baking, produce, books, home decor, and more. Please remember to wear your masks, use the provided hand sanitizer, and social distance where possible. Take the stress out of finding a parking spot - park at the Park Centre or along Henry Drive.

A hearty toast to Rick and Barb Edwards on the 25th anniversary of their studio and gallery in the Old Mill! Be sure to pop by and congratulate them.

Join local businesses as they celebrate the first (hopefully annual!) Younge Street Festival, September 3-5! This festival will have it all - artisans, musicians, fun contests for the young and old, and live chainsaw performances by the Carver Kings! All are welcome! Pop in to the Sugar Bush Canadian Coffee House or Bare Naked Beauty for more information, or to purchase tickets for the evening concerts. More information can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/youngestfestival/

Not going to sugar coat it, this column took a long time to complete this week. All the baking puns we were considering kept making us burst out loafing! We cut it very close to the deadline, but after all is bread and done, we got it in. Batter late than never.

The township is hiring! Billings Township is looking for a Full-Time Financial / Administrative Support Worker. Check out the township website (http://billingstwp.ca) for more information. The deadline to apply is September 8th at 12noon.

Happy birthday to Kagawongian Diane L who turns 29 on Monday. Amy H is Kagawong-adjacent, so we’re counting her. She turns 29 on Sunday. We hope both of you make like pickles and truly relish your special day! An extra-special set of birthday wishes go out to Team Fergmeijer’s Manitoulin mom. Don’t worry, you don’t have to say which of us is your favourite. 

Billings Library and the Old Mill Heritage Centre are pleased to announce the long-awaited publication of “How It All Began”! This third edition of the beloved local history book has been a year-long joint effort between the two organizations, with the full support of the township to see it through. Copies will be available for purchase at the library, the Heritage Centre and at the Friends of Billings Library table at the Kagawong market.  

Team Fergmeijer attended a friend’s wedding on the weekend. It was quite an emotional ceremony! The bride cried, the bridesmaids all got weepy… even the wedding cake was in tiers. Have a great week! 

August 18, 2021

Summer holidays are wonderful. We especially like the freedom to just take things as they come and not have to have a definite plan for our days. For example, tomorrow, Team Fergmeijer is heading into Sudbury where there are so many fun things to do. First, we’re going to pick up our new glasses from the optometrist. After that, we’ll see! 

Join local businesses as they celebrate the first (hopefully annual!) Younge Street Festival, September 3-5! This festival will have it all - artisans, musicians, fun contests for the young and old, and live chainsaw performances by the Carver Kings! All are welcome! Pop in to the Sugar Bush Canadian Coffee House or Bare Naked Beauty for more information, or to purchase tickets for the evening concerts. More information can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/youngestfestival/

If you’ve walked the River Trail in Kagawong recently, you may have noticed a group of young thespians creating new stories and rehearsing new works for the Kagawong River Stories / Gaagigewang Ziibing Dibaajimowinan project in conjunction with 4elements living arts. ​​Keep an eye on the 4elements Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/4elementslivingarts/) for details on upcoming performances!

The bad news is that there are only two more Wednesdays before August is over. The good news is that there are still two more Wednesdays in August to get out to the Kagawong Market! Check out over 40 vendors each Wednesday from 10am-3pm sprawling out in all directions from the pavilion in the lower village. Please remember to wear your masks, use the provided hand sanitizer, and social distance where possible. Take the stress out of finding a parking spot - park at the Park Centre or along Henry Drive.

Happy birthday to Bonnie F who turns 29 this week, as well as a trio of Theijsmeijers who celebrate their birthdays next week! Let there be cake! Lots and lots and lots of cake… 

We had some younger nieces and nephews up to visit and got talking about possible future careers they might like to pursue. We discussed how opportunities in waste management are on the rise; apparently, the jobs are really picking up. One of the uncles mentioned how he had his own tree surgery business, and was so busy that he was thinking of branching out. We wondered if working as a barista was fun or mostly just a grind. We decided not much would be worse than working for Revenue Canada (really taxing). It was speculated that while being a programmer probably bytes, being a mechanic and changing tires would be wheelie fun, even if it is a bit of a balancing act. One of the aunties mentioned that her mother-in-law works in apparel and it had made her very clothes minded. She also said that when she had met her husband, he’d been working at the zoo; she knew right away that he was a keeper. Working at the liquor store was ruled out entirely. No one ever cheers for you, only booze.

Billings Library and the Old Mill Heritage Centre are pleased to announce the long-awaited publication of “How It All Began”! This third edition of the beloved local history book has been a year-long joint effort between the two organizations, with the full support of the township to see it through. Copies will be available for purchase at the library, the Heritage Centre and at the Friends of Billings Library table at the Kagawong market.  

All meetings of Council and Committees of Council have returned to in-person status only. For more information on upcoming meetings, contact the Township office (705-282-2611).

Don’t forget that all committee meetings are open to the public. If you would like to attend an Economic Development Committee, Parks, Wellness and Recreation Committee, or Climate Action Committee meetings, just contact the town office to confirm dates for upcoming meetings. Meeting dates can also be found on the township website (www.billingstwp.ca)

Be careful out there, dear readers - it’s a dangerous world. Why, we were at the pharmacy the other day when a display of bottles of omega-3 pills fell on us. Luckily, our injuries were only super fish oil. Have a great week! 

August 11, 2021

It’s been well-established that Team Fergmeijer are keen history buffs, and we’ve been brushing up on our European history. We were intrigued to learn about Lord Nelson, one of Britain’s greatest naval heroes (not to be confused with MBB, one of Britain’s greatest navel heroes). There are many amazing facts about Lord Nelson - did you know he suffered from sea sickness?! But most fascinating to us was that he stood just over 5 feet tall in life. Now, Lord Nelson’s statue in London’s Trafalgar Square is 15 feet tall. That’s Horatio of 3:1!

As we noted last week, the state of emergency for the Township of Billings due to the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. As a result, all meetings of Council and Committees of Council have returned to in-person status only. For more information on upcoming meetings, contact the Township office (705-282-2611).

Don’t forget that all committee meetings are open to the public. If you would like to attend an Economic Development Committee, Parks, Wellness and Recreation Committee, or Climate Action Committee meetings, just contact the town office to confirm dates for upcoming meetings. Meeting dates can also be found on the township website (www.billingstwp.ca)

Another historical figure we have been learning about in our spare time was Samuel Morse. Quite the renaissance man, Morse is best known for his role in the invention of a single-wire telegraph system and Morse Code. He was also an accomplished painter and by all accounts, quite the ladies man. Seems women found him to be quite dashing!

The Kagawong market has grown so much this year - last week there were 50 vendors! Check them out each Wednesday from 10am-3pm sprawling out in all directions from the pavilion in the lower village. Please remember to wear your masks, use the provided hand sanitizer, and social distance where possible. Take the stress out of finding a parking spot - park at the Park Centre or along Henry Drive.

Sandy beach is swimmable again! Keep an eye on swimming conditions across Manitoulin Island at the Public Health Sudbury and Districts website: https://www.phsd.ca/about/news-alerts/

One of the documentaries we watched in our Brit-history binge was on internationally renowned actor Dame Helen Mirren. Turns out, though she is confident and outgoing today, in her youth it was not the case. As a child, she was very shy and it cost her the role of ‘The Talking Rock’ in her school play. Her teacher told her she just needed to be a little boulder. 

Happiest of happy birthdays goes out to Meg M who has successfully completed 29 cycles around the sun! She is one smokin’ hot mama! Though it is possible it’s just that her cake is on fire...

Billings Library and the Old Mill Heritage Centre are pleased to announce the long-awaited publication of “How It All Began”! This third edition of the beloved local history book has been a year-long joint effort between the two organizations, with the full support of the township to see it through. Copies will be available for purchase at the library, the Heritage Centre and at the Friends of Billings Library table at the Kagawong market.  

Since this week’s column has ended up with a historical theme, don’t forget to explore the Old Mill Heritage Centre’s amazing Empress of Ireland display! Wander through and experience the story and artifacts from the mother of all Canadian shipwrecks. 

One last tidbit of history for you: when Renoir was asked why he worked in the impressionist style, he’s said to have replied, “I do it for the Monet.” Have a great week! 

August 4, 2021

Watching all the amazing athletic feats during the Olympics has really inspired us here at Team Fergmeijer. As a result, we have launched our own Olympics; a series of events that are more in line with our capabilities. We call it the Slolympics! If you keep a slopen mind, it seems slobvious - there are plenty of slow energy things that take time and dedication that just don’t get the recognition that they are slo deserving of. For instance, dial-up internet might be slobsolete in most of the country, but we know there are pockets of the Island that still have it, so the person who can download an image fastest on a dialup connection wins! We bet we would get competitors from across the Pacific Slocean for our Bonsai tree events and snail races. We’re sure there would be a waiting list for the standing-in-line competition! In a trial run, there was a bit of controversy, as it was unclear to the slofficials whether competitors were watching paint dry or grass grow. 

As of this past week, the state of emergency for the Township of Billings due to the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. As a result, all meetings of Council and Committees of Council will be returning to in-person status only, beginning with the August 3rd Council meeting. For more information on upcoming meetings, contact the Township office. 

It’s not an easy task keeping Kagawong as lovely as ever. The Late Bloomers however rose to the occasion and put the petal to the metal this summer - they have the flower boxes in town looking simply iris-istible! Thank you to the whole team of volunteers! Every daisy is better because of you. 

There’s a whole lotta summer left, which means there’s still a whole lotta market! Come on by the pavilion in the lower village from 10am - 3pm every Wednesday for the Kagawong Market. There are over 40 vendors to peruse, and you’ll be sure to find lots of delicious treats, local produce, and one-of-a-kind crafts. Please remember to wear your masks, use the provided hand sanitizer, and social distance where possible.

Team Fergmeijer hasn’t always been very patient with all the road construction that has been going on in Kagawong. We were ready to draw the line and launch a complaint, but instead the paving crews drew the lines… on the new parking spaces! The new asphalt and sidewalks look great, and will help pedestrians and motorists alike get around more safely and easily. Fun fact, globally over 99% of asphalt is recycled. It is the second most recycled material in the world, after the puns in this column.

Sandy beach is swimmable again! Keep an eye on swimming conditions across Manitoulin Island at the Public Health Sudbury and Districts website: https://www.phsd.ca/about/news-alerts/

Very happy 29th birthday wishes go out to Lisa H this week. Remember, as you get older, three things happen: your memory starts to go… and we can’t remember the other two.

Team Fergmeijer isn’t the only team in the township these days - Team Aelick is fundraising for Canadian Liver Foundation "STROLL FOR LIVER". They have raised $500 so far, and good to his word, Wayne dyed his hair green! He’s now asking for help reaching $1000 so he can do the second challenge - shave his hair completely off! To participate in the fun and donate to a great cause, contact awaelick@hotmail.com.  

The Slolympics is still a work in progress but we are sloverjoyed with the sloverwhelming support we have had so far. If you have any suggestions for out-of-the-slordinary events (nothing too slostentatious - we’re simple folk!) drop us a line. Bonus points if you send it by snail mail. Have a good week!