July 6, 2022

For those who only read for the jokes and puns, just skip right down to the end. It's a busy time in Billings and we had to cut something!

The Jabbawong Storytelling Festival is this weekend in Kagawong! Celebrating traditional and contemporary storytelling, the two-day festival will offer a rich and diverse program to capture the imagination of all ages. The Festival kicks off July 9th at 8am with breakfast with the authors (come and meet the storytellers!), followed by an artist art market at the Park Centre from 10am - 3pm, a Museum BBQ mid-day, and storytellers at the Park Centre throughout the day. On July 10th, the focus shifts to the kids with the Children’s Jabbawong Storytelling Festival from 11am - 2pm. For more information, check out the event flyer and schedule on the Billings Township Facebook page.

Happy belated birthday goes out to Karen C who celebrated her 29th birthday last week. You don’t look anywhere near your age. Of course, you rarely act your age either, so… many happy returns!

 

Congratulations go out to Christy C and her team at Buttercup Ice Creamery on their successful opening week! If the line out the door was anything to go by, the goodies were very well received. 

 

It’s been confirmed that there is no giant hogweed on the Kagawong River Trail. We can also confirm that there are no Saguaro cacti. While looking for giant hogweed and the Saguaro, we managed to wander into a patch of poison ivy, so our advice is to enjoy the River Trail but be sure to stay on the path. 

 

Craving some exercise? The Manitoulin Tennis Club runs every Wednesday (at 6:30pm) and Sunday (at 10:00am) at the Manitoulin Secondary School tennis courts. Players of all abilities are welcome! Lessons can be available for beginners as well - just stop in. But if the ballfield is more your style, grab your glove and head to the Ice Lake Ball Field (274 Pleasant Valley Road) Sundays at 7:30pm! Ages 10 to adults are welcome for a weekly community ball game. Don’t forget Rover! The off-leash dog park on Carter Crescent is open throughout the summer so the pooches can get some exercise too. 

 

Billings Library is bringing back the annual book sale in a big way! Saturday, July 23rd, from 11am-3pm, you can browse 3-years worth of book sale books at the market pavilion. Don’t forget to grab some Burt Farm smokies and hotdogs hot off the BBQ. All proceeds go to support the library. 

 

What’s that you say? The library should kick off the return of the sale with a concert with local musicians? Way ahead of you! Musicians will be performing at the pavilion on the evening of Friday July 22nd. We will have more details soon, and also keep your eyes peeled to the Kagawong Facebook page. 

 

But wait, there’s more! The wildly popular Blind Date With a Book fundraiser kicks off today! Newly published books are wrapped in plain wrapping, with only the barest of information about the genre and general feel of the story. For the bargain price of $25, your date will take you on untold adventures, and like any good date, brings you chocolate (generously donated by Manitoulin Chocolate Works). Blind date books are only available at the library’s table at the market on Wednesdays, and only while supplies last. Last year the books sold out in three market days, so don’t wait or you’ll find yourself alone and chocolate-less, just like your mother warned you!

 

Speaking of the market, today there are around 70 vendors set up in the downtown market area! Our little market is exploding with all sorts of amazing, creative, delicious, and practical things. Be sure to check it out (Wednesdays 10-3pm).

Manitoulin’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day will be on Saturday, July 23rd, from 1pm - 4pm. Collection depot for our township will be the Mindemoya Roads Building (7 Lakeshore Road off highway 542/551 in Mindemoya). For a complete listing of what the collection will accept, visit the township website at http://billingstwp.ca

The deadline to submit a nomination for this year’s municipal election is coming up quickly, on Friday, August 19th. If you are interested in running for Council and would like a nomination package, please contact Kathy McDonald by phone at (705) 282-2611 ext 223 or by email at kmcdonald@billingstwp.ca. Curious about running for Council and want to learn more about it? Check out www.votebillings.blogspot.com 

 

Team Aelick is Strolling for Liver again this year and would like to thank everyone who came out to support the fundraising yard sale they held last weekend. You can still support the Canadian Liver Foundation by donating online or by joining Team Aelick on Sunday, August 28th for the 5km stroll through the village.

 

There’s been so much on the go in Kagawong this week that we haven’t been able to squeeze in a pun or two. That’s a shame, because we know that seven days without a pun makes one weak. Have a good one!