November 30, 2022

‘Tis the season for holiday parties and events! We went to an unusual one last week. It was an archaeology party where they were only looking for the remains of a lower leg. It was quite the shindig. 

With the roof on the community skating rink in place, Team Fergmeijer has realized that the newest structure in town has yet to be named! And of course we’re looking for suggestions. How about Skatin’ Haven? Or the Kagawong Glissade Palisade? Stable with a Gable? Let us know which you prefer (or suggest something different entirely!) by contacting us at fergmeijer@gmail.com.

 

The Christmas cheer continued in Kagawong this past weekend with the first in-person Community Christmas Concert since 2019! It was great to welcome back previous performers, as well as see some new faces up on stage. And special thanks to everyone who made donations to Manitoulin Family Resources - $452 will be going to support Island families!

 

The seasonal music continues this weekend with a pair of Island Singers Christmas concerts: Saturday, December 3 at 7pm at the United Church in Little Current, and Sunday, December 4 at 3pm at the Freshwater Community Church in Mindemoya. Tickets are available at the door for $10 each, or $20 for a family. Come on out and let the music fill your soul!

 

Billings library was feeling the love this weekend as people from far and wide bid on items in the silent auction fundraiser, raising nearly $3500 for the library. Thank you to everyone who participated and to everyone who donated. With 71 fantastic items it was the largest silent auction yet! 

 

Happiest of birthdays goes out to Kagawong-adjacent Chantelle W, who is turning a milestone of a birthday at 29! We hope you have a magnificent birthday weekend. Also turning 29 this week is Candy T. Take the day off from the shop and put your feet up. You deserve it!

 

Head’s up! The municipal office will be closed Tuesday, December 6 for staff training. 

 

A man walks into a pet store and asks for a dozen bees. The clerk carefully counts 13 bees out onto the counter. "That's one too many!" says the customer. The clerk replies "It's a freebie."

 

Reminder that the access to bulk water from the fire hall is completely off-limits while work is being done on the structural integrity of the building. Please utilize the water at the public works garage at 34 Carter Crescent. There are two hoses available: one between the two truck bays, and the other next to the main door. Please be mindful of the bay doors, and do not leave your vehicle unattended.

 

Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 26th through to January 2nd, and will re-open Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24th and 25th as well as January 1st, and the Library will be closed December 24th and 31st. 

 

Why can’t you breed an eel with an eagle? Because it’s Eeleagle. Have a good week!

November 23, 2022

Well, for goodness flake, Mother Nature seems to have thrown a switch shifting things from autumn to winter all of a sudden. We did have a bit of snow earlier in the month, but it didn’t stick around and it looks like we are at the point of snow return now. Mother Nature will snow us no mercy for the next few months. For anyone worried about making it through the winter, don’t flurry, be happy! It’s a winterful life on Manitoulin when there is snow on the ground. Team Fergmeijer tends to get quite s-mitten with things like sledding and skating parties, although we always remember that with great powder comes great responsibility. We make sure we have our winter tires on and always keep our walkways cleared. 

It wasn’t just the snow that made things festive this past weekend! Thanks to everyone - visitors and vendors alike - who made the first Christmas in Kagawong since 2019 a fabulous experience. Even Santa was impressed! Team Fergmeijer heard him say so while he stopped in to collect letters from young Kagawongians on Sunday. 

 

Didn’t quite get all your shopping done this past weekend? Then be sure to check out Billing Library’s silent auction fundraiser! Join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/libraryauction for more details. The auction will go live tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 24th) at 9am and closes at 6pm on Sunday, Nov. 27th. All proceeds go to support Billings Library.

 

And then keep that holiday spirit going with the Kagawong Community Christmas concert this weekend! Join the fun Saturday November 26th at 7pm at the Park Centre. Admission will be by cash donation with all funds raised supporting Manitoulin Family Resource. As always, enthusiasm trumps talent - if you are interested in reciting a poem, singing a song, doing a skit, or engaging in generally silliness, contact fergmeijer@gmail.com 

 

Reminder that the access to bulk water from the fire hall is completely off-limits while work is being done on the structural integrity of the building. Please utilize the water at the public works garage at 34 Carter Crescent. There are two hoses available: one between the two truck bays, and the other next to the main door. Please be mindful of the bay doors, and do not leave your vehicle unattended.

 

Mnidoo Mnising Sharing and Learning Centre for All is offering some exciting activities for kids this month! Don’t miss Storytelling With Nature, where kids will gather indoors for story time and will explore nature through indoor play. The Gore Bay Union Public Library will host on Friday Nov. 25th (10:30-11:30am) and Billings Public Library will host on Tuesday Nov. 29th (4-5pm). Contact melaniefrancis@kenjgewinteg.ca to register. 

 

Happy birthday to Nora U who celebrates her 29th trip around the sun next week! May your birthday cake be moist, and may no one use that word to describe it. 

 

Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 26th through to January 2nd, and will re-open Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24th and 25th as well as January 1st, and the Library will be closed December 24th and 31st. 

 

Words of wisdom for the week: be the change you wish to ski in the world. Have a good week!

November 16, 2022

Team Fergmeijer was reminiscing on the different jobs we have held over the years (before we became your friendly neighbourhood reporter here on the Island, of course!). One of us worked at a restaurant that was very secretive about their recipes. Signing a legal agreement promising not to share their flatbread recipe was required before joining the team. It was a standard naan disclosure agreement.  

Ding Dong Merrily on High! Christmas in Kagawong is this weekend! Friday night fun at the Park Centre runs from 4pm - 8pm, and carries on Saturday 10am - 3pm. And you better watch out… Santa will be visiting on Sunday the 20th! 

 

Also this weekend, the Anglican Church will have a variety of crafts, gift baskets and goodies available for sale, including homemade meat pies, lasagna and perogies to take home for dinner! Visit the church Saturday the 19th from 9am - 2pm to check out all the treats.There are limited supplies of the meat pies, lasagna and perogies, so don’t wait until the last minute! 

 

While you are out getting in the spirit of things, be sure to pop over to the Manitoulin Secondary School Christmas Shopping Spree at the M’Chigeeng complex. Doors open on Saturday 10am - 4pm. With dozens of vendors to choose from, you can fill your stockings while helping support MSS teams and clubs at the same time!

 

Team Fergmeijer challenged themselves to a new sport last week: blindfolded archery. If you haven’t done that before, you should try it too! You don’t know what you’re missing.

 

Access to bulk water from the fire hall is completely off-limits while work is being done to improve the structural integrity of the building. Please utilize the water at the public works garage at 34 Carter Crescent. There are two hoses available: one between the two truck bays, and the other next to the main door. Please be mindful of the bay doors, and do not leave your vehicle unattended.

 

There’s been excellent progress on the community rink roof this past week, which makes us anxious to strap on our skates and go for a glide! Stay tuned for the opening day of the new facilities as the weather continues to get colder.

 

Have you ever wondered how come there are Pop-Tarts but no Mom-Tarts? It’s because of the pastryarchy. 

 

Mnidoo Mnising Sharing and Learning Centre for All is offering some exciting activities for kids this month! Exploring and Playing in Nature will have participants wandering along nature trails to discover, play and explore nature. This Friday will be the Noble Nature Trail in Gore Bay, and on Tuesday it will be along the Kagawong River. Both sessions will run from 10:30-11:30am. The second opportunity is Storytelling With Nature where the kids will gather indoors for story time and will explore nature through indoor play. The Gore Bay Union Public Library will host on Friday Nov. 25th (10:30-11:30am) and Billings Public Library will host on Tuesday Nov. 29th (4-5pm). Contact melaniefrancis@kenjgewinteg.ca to register. 

 

Happiest of happy birthdays go out to local icon, Mary Buie who is turning 29 this weekend. Since it’s Mary, we know she will be counting her blessings rather than her candles. 

 

The library is amassing quite a collection of fantastic items for the annual silent auction. You can see some previews of what will be up for bid by joining the Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/libraryauction). The auction will go live Thursday, Nov. 24th at 9am and closes at 6pm on Sunday, Nov. 27th. All proceeds go to support Billings Library.

 

The Kagawong Community Christmas concert is back and in-person! Join the fun Saturday November 26th at 7pm at the Park Centre. Admission will be by cash donation with all funds raised supporting Manitoulin Family Resource. As always, enthusiasm trumps talent - interested performers can contact fergmeijer@gmail.com 

 

We’ve been thinking this whole time that it was the dryer shrinking our clothes. Turns out it was the refrigerator all along. Have a good week!

November 9, 2022

Team Fergmeijer hopes everyone took advantage of the extra hour on the weekend. We would normally be telling you about how excited locals were to turn back all their analog clocks, but that would be second hand information. It’s good to know that if we ever run out of puns, we’ll have Daylight Savings Time jokes to fall back on.

The Billings Heritage Centre will be holding an in-person, indoor Remembrance Day service at the Park Centre on Friday. Several military guests will be in attendance along with local MPP, Michael Mantha. Different themes will be acknowledged during the service, including the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, Canadian Peacekeeping, and remembering the Cold War. Lest we forget.

 

Mnidoo Mnising Sharing and Learning Centre for All is offering some exciting activities for kids this month! Exploring and Playing in Nature will have participants wandering along nature trails to discover, play and explore nature. Friday Nov. 18th will be the Noble Nature Trail in Gore Bay, and on Tuesday Nov. 22nd it will be along the Kagawong River. Both sessions will run from 10:30-11:30am. The second opportunity is Storytelling With Nature where the kids will gather indoors for story time and will explore nature through indoor play. The Gore Bay Union Public Library will host on Friday Nov. 25th (10:30-11:30am) and Billings Public Library will host on Tuesday Nov. 29th (4-5pm). Contact melaniefrancis@kenjgewinteg.ca to register. 

 

Happy 29th birthday goes out to Jody K - you certainly aren’t showing your age. Or acting it. Keep up the good work!

 

The Billings Landfill is officially back to winter hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-6pm, Saturdays from 1-4pm, and Sundays from 10am-4pm. 

 

Our friend Joseph went on the Dolly Parton diet. We were skeptical at first, but it has definitely made Joe lean. 

 

Christmas in Kagawong is swiftly approaching like a herd of flying reindeer! It runs November 18-20th. Friday night fun at the Park Centre runs from 4pm - 8pm, and carries on Saturday 10am - 3pm. And you better watch out… Santa will be visiting on Sunday the 20th! 

 

During the Christmas in Kagawong weekend, the Anglican Church will have a variety of crafts, gift baskets and goodies available for sale, including homemade meat pies, lasagna and perogies to take home for dinner! Visit the church Saturday the 19th from 9am - 2pm to check out all the treats.There are limited supplies of the meat pies, lasagna and perogies, so don’t wait until the last minute! 

 

While you are out getting in the spirit of things, be sure to pop over to the Manitoulin Secondary School Christmas Shopping Spree at the M’Chigeeng complex. Doors open on Saturday, November 19th from 10am - 4pm. With dozens of vendors to choose from, you can fill your stockings while helping support MSS teams and clubs at the same time!

 

The library is amassing quite a collection of fantastic items for the annual silent auction. You can see some previews of what will be up for bid by joining the Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/libraryauction). The auction will go live Thursday, Nov. 24th at 9am and closes at 6pm on Sunday, Nov. 27th. All proceeds go to support Billings Library.

 

Speaking of the library, we are writing a book about all the things we should be doing with our lives. Yep, we’re writing our oughtobiography. 

 

It’s back! The Kagawong Community Christmas concert is back to an in-person event, Saturday November 26th at 7pm at the Park Centre. Admission will be by cash donation with all funds raised supporting Manitoulin Family Resource. As always, enthusiasm trumps talent - interested performers can contact fergmeijer@gmail.com 

 

This week’s words of wisdom: Courage is knowing it might hurt, and doing it anyway. Stupidity is the same. And that’s why life is hard. Have a good week!

November 2, 2022

We hope you all had a fang-tastic Halloween night. Team Fergmeijer tries to live by the motto, go big or gourd home, and so we still dress up and go trick or treating. We can sometimes get a bit silly when we have too much sugar, but since we were in disguise, we are hopeful that our wild behaviour (after goblin candy all night) didn’t give people pumpkin to talk about. We are BFFs (best fiends forever), and we always have each other’s backs. For instance, when one of us ripped a hole in our pants on Halloween night, the other (who always has her sheet together) was quick to fix it right up with a pumpkin patch. Of course, one of the best parts of Halloween is being able to break out all of our most candy corny puns!

In a candy-coated full circle, this year Halloween marks the last day of Chocolate Works deliciousness for the year. We will miss their smiling faces and hot coffee, as well as their unofficial brunch offerings. Enjoy a well-deserved break, and we will be first in line when you open again in the spring. 

 

Many happy returns go out to Gail L who turns 29 today. They say that with age comes new skills. Like being able to laugh, cough, sneeze and pee all at the same time! 

 

The Billings Heritage Centre will be holding an in-person, indoor Remembrance Day service this year. After 2 years of COVID limitations, the service will return to the Park Centre on November 11th beginning at 11am.   Several military guests will be in attendance along with local MPP, Michael Mantha, to lay a wreath. Different themes will be acknowledged during the service, including the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, Dianne Fraser reflecting on Canadian Peacekeeping and remembering the Cold War, with Rick Nelson delivering a speech covering the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lest we Forget.

 

Congratulations to the new slate of Billings Township Councillors, elected last week, and thank you to the current council for helping us weather the past few years of pandemic. 

 

Take note - the Billings landfill will be closed early tomorrow (Thursday, November 3). Be sure to drop off anything you need to drop off by 5pm. Also, as of this week we are also back to winter landfill hours. Until March 31, the landfill will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-6pm, Saturdays from 1-4pm, and Sundays from 10am-4pm. 

 

There’s been lots of exciting activity at the outdoor rink this past week as the roof gets put into place. We wanted to include a roof pun here for the occasion, but thought it might go over your head. 

 

Anyone using the fire hall fill station can still access water during the renovations and remediation, but please always use caution when in the proximity to the fire hall and workers. 

 

Christmas in Kagawong is swiftly approaching like a herd of flying reindeer! It runs November 18-20th. Friday night fun at the Park Centre runs from 4pm - 8pm, and carries on Saturday 10am - 3pm. And you better watch out… Santa will be visiting on Sunday the 20th! 

 

During the Christmas in Kagawong weekend, the Anglican Church will have a variety of crafts, gift baskets and goodies available for sale, including homemade meat pies, lasagna and perogies to take home for dinner! Visit the church Saturday the 19th from 9am - 2pm to check out all the treats.There are limited supplies of the meat pies, lasagna and perogies, so don’t wait until the last minute! 

 

While you are out getting in the spirit of things, be sure to pop over to the Manitoulin Secondary School Christmas Shopping Spree at the M’Chigeeng complex. Doors open on Saturday, November 19th from 10am - 4pm. With dozens of vendors to choose from, you can fill your stockings while helping support MSS teams and clubs at the same time!

 

The library’s annual silent auction is back for 2022! Join the auction Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groups/libraryauction) to see sneak previews of some of the fantastic items that will be up for bid. There are the always-popular items like gravel and mulch, beautiful art and crafts, as well as tickets to some exciting attractions in Sudbury and Toronto. The auction will go live Thursday, Nov. 24th and closes Sunday, Nov. 27th. All proceeds go to support Billings Library.

 

Have a good week!