February 23, 2022

Monday was Family Day and we hope you all enjoyed your family in whatever way is most meaningful to you. Our neighbour took his family on a tour of various nuclear facilities in their area for the weekend. His kids seemed to like it, but his wife thought he was just on one giant power trip. Team Fergmeijer had a plan to cook dinner for the family. It was going to be a surprise and it was all going well, right up until the fire trucks ruined it. Then there’s cousin Bill. Every morning for the last year, he has announced proudly to his family that he is going for a jog… and then he doesn’t. It’s the longest running joke ever.  

The days are getting longer, but we know summer must be just around the corner, because the 2022 summer student positions with the township have been announced! There are positions at the marina, public works, museum, and library. Applications will be accepted by email to kmcdonald@billingstwp.ca until 4pm on Friday February 25th, 2022. Check out the township’s website for more information: https://billingstwp.ca/employment-opportunities/

Happy birthday to Ruth F who is 29 years young this week. We were going to put some funny comments here, but we thought maybe the whole birthday thing is getting a bit old.

Thank you to the Township of Billings and community volunteers for organizing a Family Day Skate and Slide this past Monday! The rink is great!

The township office remains closed to the public with the staff working remotely. Agendas and minutes for the various township committee meetings can be found on the township website: http://billingstwp.ca . 

Short Poems for a Short Month challenge is nearly over! Be sure to send your short form poem to Kagawong@live.ca  or as a message on the Kagawong Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Kagawong1). Here are some great examples!

A bridge of moonbeams

On shimmering sea

Path to Eternity

Waves trimmed with lace

Seek the barren shore

Autumn takes charge

(You know these aren’t ours, because no matter how hard we try to write pieces that are thoughtful, introspective and deep, we always seem to end up with puns. It’s quite the verse curse!)

 

Friends of the Billings Library is looking for members! FOBL is a group that functions independently of the township and of the library itself. It raises money to supplement and enhance the library collections. If you are interested, contact the library (billingslibrary@vianet.ca   705-282-2944).

 

The Kagawong Fitness Centre is open again, and Plucky, the KFC mascot, is so excited! Please contact the town at tmills@billingstwp.ca for information on membership.

What do time and space have in common with family? It's all relative. Have a great week!

February 16, 2022

There once was a man from Nantucket,
Who carried his puns in a bucket. 
They were appreciated by none, 
Even though he thought them fun,
Eventually, he just had to chuck it. 

Short Poems for a Short Month challenge is well underway! Send your short form poem to Kagawong@live.ca  or as a message on the Kagawong Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Kagawong1). 

We are sending out some belated birthday wishes to two Valentine babies this week. Neil L and Chase C both celebrated their special day on Monday. Also celebrating this week is Heather S. Neil and Heather are coincidentally turning 29, although Chase is still ‘chasing’ that landmark birthday. We hope you all were celebrated in an appropriately majestic manner.  

We got ice, and we got snow… so grab your skates and toboggans and come on out to the Family Day Skate & Slide! Stop by the Park Centre and the outdoor rink Monday, February 21 from 1pm until 4pm for some winter fun. Enjoy some hot chocolate, hot coffee and treats while supplies last, courtesy of the Township of Billings and community volunteers. COVID-19 protocols will be in place. 

The township office remains closed to the public with the staff working remotely. The next Council meeting is Tuesday February 22 at 7:30pm. Members of the public who wish to attend the meeting can email Tiana Mills at tmills@billingstwp.ca by 3:00pm on February 22nd to receive a Zoom link for the session. Agendas and minutes for the various township committee meetings can be found on the township website: http://billingstwp.ca . Speaking of short poems…

 

Winter is tough, but take heart:

It’s time to get out and do snow art!

 

Get out there and grab winter by the snowballs! Create the ultimate snow sculpture, snap a photo and submit your sculpture to the Island-wide Snow Sculpture Challenge, sponsored by the municipalities of Manitoulin! The challenge is open to all residents of Manitoulin Island, between now and February 22. Email a photo of your creation to info@assiginack.ca by high noon on Tuesday, February 22 for a chance to win a prize!

 

Has there ever been a group so noble,

As the library friends called FOBL?

 

Friends of the Billings Library is looking for members! FOBL is a group that functions independently of the township and of the library itself. It raises money to supplement and enhance the library collections. If you are interested, contact the library (billingslibrary@vianet.ca   705-282-2944).

 

Too many cakes and pies?

Time for some exercise!

 

The Kagawong Fitness Centre is open again, and Plucky, the KFC mascot, is so excited! Please contact the town at tmills@billingstwp.ca for information on membership.

 

Our rink is good for some boasts, 

Because now we have a pair of posts!

Thanks to a generous donation, there is now a goalie net available for use at the community rink. Check out the rink’s fundraising Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/kagawongrinkfundraiser) for other exciting updates and announcements. 

Our rhymes are now at their peak,

So on that note, have a great week!

February 9, 2022

The recent mild spell has been perfect for getting out and about in the natural beauty of nature and yours truly is no exception. Of course, one half of Team Fergmeijer only hikes occasionally, but the other is out so much it’s like she doesn’t everest. Both agree that getting out and exploring is a hill of a lot of fun! It’s a bit controversial, but on longer hikes we like to listen to music. We have a special playlist just for longer hikes with songs from The Cranberries, Peanuts, and Eminem. We call it our Trail Mix.

Roses are red, 

Violets are blue, 

We love good puns, 

And hope you do too!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner… why not proclaim your love through poetry AND submit something for the Short Poems for a Short Month challenge? Send it to Kagawong@live.ca  or as a message on the Kagawong Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Kagawong1). 

Know someone with a birthday? Anniversary? Reaching new milestones? A new hairdo? Let us know so we can embar… uh… honour them appropriately in our column!

The township office remains closed to the public with the staff working remotely. The next Council meeting is Tuesday February 22 at 7:30pm. Members of the public who wish to attend the meeting can email Tiana Mills at tmills@billingstwp.ca by 3:00pm on February 22nd to receive a Zoom link for the session. Agendas and minutes for the various township committee meetings can be found on the township website: http://billingstwp.ca 

 

Friends of the Billings Library is looking for members! FOBL is a group that functions independently of the township and of the library itself. It raises money to supplement and enhance the library collections. If you are interested, contact the library (billingslibrary@vianet.ca   705-282-2944).

 

Team Fergmeijer absolutely hates broken bridges. We just can’t get over them. So we were excited to hear that the township is getting a new pedestrian bridge on the Kagawong River Trail! The project will be funded through a Trillium Community Building Fund grant, and will be completed within the year. Stay tuned… seeing the new bridge go up will be riveting!

 

The Kagawong Fitness Centre is open again! Plucky, the KFC mascot, is so excited! Please contact the town at tmills@billingstwp.ca for information on membership.

Regular updates on the conditions of the outdoor skating rink can be found on the rink fundraising Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/kagawongrinkfundraiser). 

Building a snowman was sooo 2021. Why not try a snowdog? A snowcar? A snowcastle? Or a snowcow? While you’re at it, snap a photo and submit your sculpture to the Island-wide Snow Sculpture Challenge, sponsored by the municipalities of Manitoulin! The challenge is open to all residents of Manitoulin Island, between now and February 22. Email a photo of your creation to info@assiginack.ca by 12 noon on Tuesday, February 22 for a chance to win a prize!

If anyone has any suggestions for new trails for us to try, drop us a line. We like to hike by the Kagawong River, but we’re looking for something a bit off the beaten path and a bit less main stream. Have a great week!

February 2, 2022

We’ve been catching up on some of our favourite British baking shows this week. We get pretty passionate about the competition, shouting at the tv things like: “You fool! You can’t dip the walnut whirl in the tempered chocolate, you have to drizzle over the top to achieve the characteristic wobble of the coffee ganache, Parisian cafe-style!” You would never guess we once forgot to put the apples in the apple pie we were baking.

Harkening back to grade seven, here is a Diamante entry for our Short Poems for a Short Month challenge!

Kagawong

Welcoming, unique  

Skating, mazing, marketing

Waterfalls, confectionaries, turkeys, trails

Swimming, boating, exploring

Beautiful, exceptional

Gaagigewang

Got a poem? Submit it to Kagawong@live.ca  or as a message on the Kagawong Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Kagawong1).

We also received a submission from the ever-creative Ed Burt:

We cut the cedar logs in winter

About a hundred years ago

And we split the logs to make the snake rail fence.

There were slivers fastened to the wood

That rattled in the wind.

They moaned and whistled and cried

And they screamed and spluttered

As the wind got more intense.

They had no rhyme or rhythm,

They had no tone or beat.

It's just a piece of reed-like wood

That's blowing in the fence.

When it's election year in Canada,

All the candidates are out,

And they're meeting in town houses 'cross the land.

They tell us of the promises

And what they'll do for us.

But when we think it over,

It doesn't make much sense.

It doesn't seem much different

Than the sliver on the fence.

Do you, or someone you know, have a birthday coming up? Let us know, so we can recognize the big day with appropriate solemnity, dignity, and gravity. Just kidding. We’ll make a joke of it (with love), the same as we do with everyone!

 

The township office remains closed to the public with the staff working remotely. Council and committee meetings continue to be online. To watch live, drop the office an message (tmills@billingstwp.ca) to receive the Zoom invites. Agendas and minutes for the various township committee meetings can be found on the township website: http://billingstwp.ca 

 

The Kagawong Fitness Centre also remains closed for the foreseeable future, but the landfill remains open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 pm to 6pm and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. And last but not least, the library is open its regular hours (Tues. & Thurs. 4-7; Sat. 10-1).

The rink at the Park Centre rink is up and running! Thanks to all the volunteers who are working hard to keep it cleared and flooded. Regular updates can be found on the rink fundraising Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/kagawongrinkfundraiser). It was a busy place last weekend and we expect it to continue to be a very popular place all winter.

Why stick with a snowman when you can create a spectacular snow sculpture?? The Municipalities of Manitoulin are jointly sponsoring an Island-wide Snow Sculpture Challenge, open to all residents of Manitoulin Island, between now and February 22. Email a photo of your creation to info@assiginack.ca by 12 noon on Tuesday, February 22 for a chance to win a prize!

Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers. Have a great week!