October 27, 2021

We helped introduce a neighbour to Minimalism. They were very grateful, but really, it was the least we could do. That same friend had their oldest son leave home thinking he would make his fortune uploading videos of himself poking seabirds with his finger. Now, realizing the error of his ways, their prod-a-gull son has returned home.

You know what they say… if the broom fits, fly it! On Halloween night, all little witches and warlocks can fly on by the Kagawong Pavilion anytime after 5pm and pick up a treat! Brought to you by the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee. 

In a series of strategic power moves (ha!), Hydro One came through this weekend, completing all their upgrades in the allotted outage time. Island residents should now all be updated on “current” affairs.

Happy birthday to Rachel B, who celebrates another trip around the sun. Meranda N is also celebrating this week. We hope you both take lessons from the turtles and shellebrate!  

 

The Anglican Church is holding a Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 20th from 9am-2pm. There will be baked goods, crafts, and gift baskets up for grabs. They will also have a ‘take home’ fundraising dinner with homemade meat pies, lasagna and pierogies. All funds raised go towards replacing the church roof. COVID-19 protocols will be in place. 

Looking to leave your mark on the township? The Township of Billings invites professional artists and illustrators with a connection to Billings to submit proposals and quotations for a re-design of the current flywheel face situated at the Old Mill Heritage Centre/Municipal Office Building Parking Lot. Proposals will be selected until November 26th, 2021 at noon. Check out https://billingstwp.ca/administration/requests-for-proposals/ for more information.

Did you know? Billings Township produces monthly newsletters! Check them out for updates on township projects and grants, upcoming meetings, general announcements, and a calendar of events. You can find current and past newsletters, here: https://billingstwp.ca/administration/new-monthly-newsletters/ 

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is pleased to announce that the popular Empress of Ireland exhibit will be continuing next year! Though really, this comes as no surprise. Who wouldn’t want to spend another summer in Kagawong? Welcome back, Captain!

We know it’s a bit early to be decorating for Christmas, but it’s not too early to be planning your song and dance number for the annual Community Christmas Concert! With COVID concerns still uppermost in mind, organizers have decided to stick to the online format they used last year. Mark Saturday, December 18th on your calendar and start thinking about what song, joke, skit, or dance you might be willing to contribute! Email Kagawong@live.ca for more information or if you are interested in performing. 

The concert isn’t the only event that is returning online again. The Friends of the Billings Library is bringing their annual silent auction back! November 25 you can click your way to an amazing deal on any number of fantastic items and support the library at the same time. Stay tuned for more details. 

Our Manitoulin Mom answered the door and found a 6-ft beetle who slapped her across the face and called her lazy. Apparently, there’s a really nasty bug going around. Stay safe and have a great week!

October 20, 2021

Team Fergmeijer passed two seasonal Kagawongians who broke down on their way to the ferry last weekend. They said their ‘check engine’ light came on, but when they got out and popped the hood, it was right where it was supposed to be. When we stopped to see why they were stopped on the side of the road, they said that they could really use a lift. We were happy to do what we could, so we complimented them on their hair and outfits and drove off. We were happy to hear that they sorted things out and managed to get home to their family. It could have been much worse; if there’s one thing we know about broken down vehicles, it takes one to no one. 

Where do ghosts buy their food? At the ghost-ery store! But on Halloween night, all little ghouls and goblins can get some treats for free starting at 5pm at the Kagawong Pavilion - stop on by! Brought to you by the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee. 

There is a planned power outage this Saturday from 8am - 5pm for pretty much the whole island. We know it’s not ideal (or even shocking) for a lot of people, but when it comes to this sort of thing, resistance is futile.

Happy birthday to long-distance honorary Kagawongian Joanne T, and Kagawongian-in-law Ken F, who both turned 29 this week. In honour of the momentous occasion, we have a birthday riddle: what has wings, a colourful tail and wears a bow? A birthday pheasant!

 

The Anglican Church is holding a Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 20th from 9am-2pm. There will be baked goods, crafts, and gift baskets up for grabs. They will also have a ‘take home’ fundraising dinner with homemade meat pies, lasagna and pierogies. All funds raised go towards replacing the church roof. COVID-19 protocols will be in place. 

Looking to leave your mark on the township? The Township of Billings invites professional artists and illustrators with a connection to Billings to submit proposals and quotations for a re-design of the current flywheel face situated at the Old Mill Heritage Centre/Municipal Office Building Parking Lot. Proposals will be selected until November 26th, 2021 at noon. Check out https://billingstwp.ca/administration/requests-for-proposals/ for more information.

Looking to get involved in the community? There are currently vacancies on the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee, as well as the Economic Development Committee. If you are interested in joining one of these committees, visit the township website (http://billingstwp.ca) for information and application forms.

The province has rolled out its new enhanced vaccine certificates that include a scannable QR code that protects your personal information. If you need your proof of vaccination or QR code printed, visit http://covid19.ontariohealth.ca to access your vaccination receipts. If you need help, stop in at the township office or library during their regular hours and someone will be happy to help you. 

Although the high double-digit temperatures might make you think differently, it is swiftly getting to be that festive time of year again: Community Christmas Concert time! With COVID concerns still uppermost in mind, organizers have decided to stick to the online format they used last year. It was such a fun night, that Team Fergmeijer can’t wait to experience it all over again this year! Stay tuned for dates and times, and start thinking about what song, joke, skit, or dance you might be willing to contribute! Email Kagawong@live.ca for more information or if you are interested in performing. 

Did you hear about the baker who became really successful after adding leaves to his bread recipe? He raked in the dough! Have a great week!

October 13, 2021

Last weekend was Thanksgiving, and as usual, we offer you a column with all the fixings! One half of your favourite hard-hitting journalists hosted a few family members and cooked for the crew. She always sticks to traditional recipes. If her grandmother caught her making boxed mashed potatoes, she would turn over in her gravy! To be honest, both members of Team Fergmeijer had family members beg them to stop with the Thanksgiving puns, but it’s nearly impossible to stop cold turkey. Now, we do have some actual news to share this week, but if you think the turkey puns are done, you ain’t seen stuffing yet! 

Looking to leave your mark on the township? The Township of Billings invites professional artists and illustrators with a connection to Billings to submit proposals and quotations for a re-design of the current flywheel face situated at the Old Mill Heritage Centre/Municipal Office Building Parking Lot. Proposals will be selected until November 26th, 2021 at noon. Check out https://billingstwp.ca/administration/requests-for-proposals/ for more information.

There is a planned power outage on Saturday October 23rd from 8am - 5pm for pretty much the whole island. We aren’t sure what the repairs are about. Just a shot in the dark, but we expect Hydro will shed some light on the matter soon. 

Happy birthday to our favourite Jef with one f. We know birthdays work differently down in the big smoke than they do here in Billings, but don’t worry - we won’t make any age-related jokes. We feel genuinely sorry for how old you are.  

 

Looking to get involved in the community? There are currently vacancies on the Parks, Rec and Wellness Committee, as well as the Economic Development Committee. If you are interested in joining one of these committees, visit the township website (http://billingstwp.ca) for information and application forms.

Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Susie Harrison. She was a one-of-a-kind spirit and we know so many in the community will miss her dearly. 

If you need proof of vaccination, visit http://covid19.ontariohealth.ca to print out your vaccination receipts. If you need help, stop in at the township office or library during their regular hours and someone will be happy to help you. 

The MSS craft sale is cancelled for this year; the school is unable to host it at this time.

If you are feeling seasonal craft sale-deprived, fear not! A little birdie told us that the church is putting together a Christmas bazaar in the near future. Stay tuned for more information.  

Sometimes the Thanksgiving turkey turns out dry, which just goes to show that there’s no accounting for bastes. Have a great week!

October 6, 2021

Remember when cosmetic surgery was a completely taboo subject? Now, you mention Botox and nobody raises an eyebrow. Well, like many people of a certain age, the lighthouse in the village has been showing some wear and tear from time (and gravity), and like many people fighting age (and gravity) the lighthouse will be getting some TLC. A nip and tuck, some cosmetic adjustments, a bit of a facelift as it were. We are assuming that afterwards it will look a little lighter and will be turning heads!

Congratulations to quintessential Kagawongian, Mary Buie! Having raised over $2700 for this year’s CIBC Run for the Cure, she was among the top three fundraisers for the Sudbury event! About a dozen supporters of Mary came out on Sunday as she led a pink-clad parade on a 3-km walk through the village to raise awareness. Well done, Mary! You are an amazing inspiration!

There is a planned power outage on Saturday October 23rd from 8am - 5pm. It will affect most of Manitoulin. It’s never too early to plan ahead. Case in point: Manitoulin used to have an ice making company and they didn’t take any precautions for the last major planned outage and they went into liquidation. 

Got extra pumpkins and decorative squash? It’s time to make Kagawong look autumn gourd-geous! The Harvest Glory Days winners will be decided the week after Thanksgiving, so there’s still lots of time to zhuzh up your home and business. Check out https://www.manitoulin.com/harvest-glory-days/ for more information.

Happy belated birthday to Kagawongian-by-marriage Kathryn B who turned 29 on Saturday. Tomorrow, Jamie F will be celebrating his 29th as well. Remember, it’s never too late to become what you want. Unless what you want to become is younger. 

 

The Township of Billings is once again hiring! If you or someone you know might be interested in applying for the role of Township Treasurer, visit https://billingstwp.ca/employment-opportunities/ to see the full job description. Applications are being accepted until 12 noon on Friday October 8th, 2021.

 

Looking to get involved in the community in a less formal way? There are currently vacancies on the Parks, Rec and Wellness Committee, as well as the Economic Development Committee. If you are interested in joining one of these committees, visit the township website (http://billingstwp.ca) for information and application forms.

If you need proof of vaccination, visit http://covid19.ontariohealth.ca to print out your vaccination receipts. If you need help, stop in at the township office or library during their regular hours and someone will be happy to help you. 

The Manitoulin Tennis Club will have one last session for the season on Sunday, October 10th, at 10am, at the Manitoulin Secondary School courts. Whether you are a tennis ace, or just absolutely LOVE the sport (see what we did there?), all are welcome to come out and play.

Have you ever considered that Amazon was actually invented by cats trying to find a way to get more cardboard boxes into their homes? As unlikely as that sounds, it’s always a paws-ibility. Have a great week!