May 31, 2023

Your friendly neighbourhood columnists were out shopping for the day last week and hit up an amazing sweater store. They were so knowledgeable. Did you know it takes three sheep to make up one sweater? We didn’t even know sheep could knit! We ran into a bit of trouble when one of us went to buy a lovely pullover and her credit card was declined. It all worked out okay, she just had to swipe the cardigan.  

Have so many old electronics kicking around that it hertz? Manitoulin Secondary School will be collecting e-waste Monday, May 29 to Friday, June 2 (3-5pm) and Saturday, June 3 (10-3pm). Bring ANY dead electronics, including appliances, batteries of any size, devices, and even propane tanks to be recycled. 

Manitoulin Metal wants to show their appreciation for all the community support they received this year, and what better way to show gratitude than with pancakes! June 1st, the team will be serving up breakfast for dinner at MSS from 6-8pm. Meet the team over pancakes, sausages and hashbrowns; check out Bumblebee the robot, watch demos, check out the silent auction and take part in interactive activities.

Self care is important. We at Team Fergmeijer like to take a little nap on the sofa before taking ourselves up to bed for our main sleep. It’s called a snors d’oeuvre. 

Go fly a kite! No, really. On Sunday June 4th in Gore Bay you can go fly a kite in the Kite Festival! From 1-4 pm you can enjoy kite-flying at the Western Manitoulin Community Garden. It's a free event and fun can be had for all ages. Enjoy the BBQ lunch, get crafty at the Make a Scarecrow station, and check out a Pop-up Play area for the littles. There will also be community service people and their vehicles for viewing and questions. Bring your own kite or use one the festival provides. 

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Casey B, Morgan E, and David H this week. You are as old as you are brilliant! Which is both good news, and bad. 

Team Aelick is at it again, raising awareness and funds for the Canadian Liver Foundation! Last weekend was the annual yard sale chock full of goodies. June 11th they will be heading out for the annual Stroll for Liver and you can join them! The 5km stroll starts at the Park Center at 11am, and will make its way through the village. You can support Team Aelick and the Liver Foundation by donating (https://tinyurl.com/teamAELICK)

Candice Irwin of Body Stories Dance Instruction will be hosting drop-in dance classes for children throughout the month of June at the Kagawong Park Centre. There are opportunities for youth aged 3 and up exploring creative movement and contemporary dance. Classes are $15 at the door. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more information.

Save the date! Team Fergmeijer has it on good authority the first Kagawong market of the summer will be Wednesday, June 28! The market is moving up into the covered rink, colourful cabanas, and part of the Park Centre parking lot. Markets will continue throughout the summer on Wednesdays.

Can’t quite decide what to focus on when you visit Kagawong? Then picture this: the Old Mill Heritage Centre has a new exhibit on vintage cameras. Don’t miss it!

The Manitoulin Tennis Club is up and running for the summer! Players of all ages and abilities are welcome to come out to the courts at Manitoulin Secondary School in M’Chigeeng for fun and fitness Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. First Sunday and Wednesday of every month there are free lessons for new players! Visit Manitoulin Tennis Club on Facebook for more information.

Rumour has it the Billings Climate Action Committee has some summer plans afoot! Don’t forget to check out their blog at https://billingscac.blogspot.com/ for regular updates. 

We’ll leave you with a deep thought: Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana. Have a great week!

May 24, 2023

At the time of writing, Team Fergmeijer is dreaming of bear claws, forget-me-nots, and chocolate cupcakes. Of course, we always have chocolate on the brain this time of year; we love May a choco-lot. If May had a theme song it would be Wake Me Up Before You Cocoa. All we’re saying is, don’t get between the two of us, and our chocolate fix. When it comes to chocolate, we are not to be truffled with!

A number of stalwart tennis players braved the blackflies this past weekend at the aptly-named Blackfly tournament hosted by the Manitoulin Tennis Club. With this kick-off event, drop-in tennis will soon be up and running at the tennis courts in M’Chigeeng, and all will be welcome. Visit Manitoulin Tennis Club on Facebook for more information.

Manitoulin Metal wants to show their appreciation for all the community support they received this year, and what better way to show gratitude than with pancakes! June 1st, the team will be serving up breakfast for dinner at MSS from 6-8pm. Meet the team over pancakes, sausages and hashbrowns; check out Bumblebee the robot, watch demos, check out the silent auction and take part in interactive activities.

We saw a snapping turtle outside the museum. We still have no idea how he got hold of that camera. 

It’s impossible to be negative about the Old Mill Heritage Centre’s new exhibit that focuses on vintage cameras. We spoke with one visitor who was so excited about the display that we just couldn’t shutter up on the subject.

Go fly a kite! No, really. On Sunday June 4th in Gore Bay you can go fly a kite in the Kite Festival! From 1-4 pm you can enjoy kite-flying at the Western Manitoulin Community Garden. It's a free event and fun can be had for all ages. Enjoy the BBQ lunch, get crafty at the Make a Scarecrow station, and check out a Pop-up Play area for the littles. There will also be community service people and their vehicles for viewing and questions. Bring your own kite or use one the festival provides. 

Candice Irwin of Body Stories Dance Instruction will be hosting drop-in dance classes for children throughout the month of June at the Kagawong Park Centre. There are opportunities for youth aged 3 and up exploring creative movement and contemporary dance. Classes are $15 at the door. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more information.

Team Aelick is at it again, raising awareness and funds for the Canadian Liver Foundation! Last weekend was the annual yard sale chock full of goodies. June 11th they will be heading out for the annual Stroll for Liver and you can join them! The 5km stroll starts at the Park Center at 11am, and will make its way through the village. You can support Team Aelick and the Liver Foundation by donating (https://tinyurl.com/teamAELICK)

Happy Birthday to David H, Erin F who are both turning 29 this week. It can be tempting to feel bad about getting older, but remember, birthdays are to be cherished as a reminder that you are still alive and cake-ing!

The waterline work on Old Mill Road has started. That road will be closed as the work requires excavation of the roadway to install a new water main and service connections. Residents will have access to their property, but may have to use Newburn road via Graham’s hill at times. 

Fun fact: A camera takes photos, but a sock takes five. Have a great week!

May 17, 2023

Your friendly neighbourhood columnists have an eclectic taste when it comes to how we spend our free time. One of our favourite pastimes is to play board games. It all started years ago when we stole a neighbour’s game as a prank. He still doesn’t have a Clue! We told a friend about the prank and they warned us that we could get in a lot of trouble for stealing board games, but it’s a Risk we’re willing to take. We have so many board games in our collection now that we’ve had to weed out a few. We took a couple to the thrift store, but they said they could only take one. We were a bit upset, but finally just asked which one they wanted. They said, “Sorry. We don’t want any Trouble.” And now, Uno us just a little bit better. 

This Friday the 19th is Game Night in Kagawong! Join other board game enthusiasts at the Park Centre starting at 6:30pm. 

Not all blackflies are bad! Grab a racquet and come out a-swingin’ at the annual Blackfly Tennis Tournament hosted by the Manitoulin Tennis Club! Mark Saturday, May 20 on your calendars (rain date Sunday, May 21), and contact ctheijsmeijer@gmail.com for more information.

This week saw the water lines in town being flushed. If you notice any discolouration, let your water run until it is clear.

Did you know that you can access ebooks and audiobooks online for free through the library?! Download the free Libby app, login using your patron number, and you have thousands of books at your fingertips. Contact Billings Library (billingsreads@gmail.com) to find out what your patron number is. 

Do you suppose Canada’s national board game would be Sorry?

There’s a new exhibit coming to the Old Mill Heritage Centre in Kagawong! Word on the street is that a new camera and photographic exhibition is, ahem, being developed. Opening day is slated for the Victoria Day long weekend - stay tuned for further details!

Miss out on The Barrel Boys at the Old Church on the Hill at the end of April? It turns out they were just the first in a series of concerts running out of the Old Church through the spring and summer! Keep an eye on social media for more in the 2023 Kagawong Concert Series. 

Speaking of music, special thanks to Jane Best and the Manitoulin Community Choir for a lovely outdoor concert down by the Kagawong market pavilion on May 6. From toe-tapping tunes to soul-soothing songs, the audience was treated to a lovely repertoire.

Happy Birthday to a collection of present, past, and part-time Kagawongians: Sherri C, Gerry M, Tammy CS are all celebrating this week. May you live to be old and toothless – Jell-O is the caviar of the future!

The waterline work on Old Mill Road has started. That road will be closed as the work requires excavation of the roadway to install a new water main and service connections. Residents will have access to their property, but may have to use Newburn road via Graham’s hill at times. 

Go fly a kite! No, really. On Sunday June 4th in Gore Bay you can go fly a kite in the Kite Festival! From 1-4 pm you can enjoy kite-flying at the Western Manitoulin Community Garden. It's a free event and fun can be had for all ages. Enjoy the BBQ lunch, get crafty at the Make a Scarecrow station, and check out a Pop-up Play area for the littles. There will also be community service people and their vehicles for viewing and questions. Bring your own kite or use one the festival provides. 

There is another board game we used to play a long time ago that we haven’t yet mentioned. But we don’t like talking about our checkered past. Have a great long weekend!

May 10, 2023

Fear naut! The SS Chi-Cheemaun is once again setting sail for the mighty Manitoulin, and you guessed it: we’ve decided it’s aboat time that we cruise into the deep waters of boat puns to kick off this week’s column. We figured that with the nice weather, we might as well do it schooner rather than later. So, break out your anchor-chiefs to wipe away your tears - they will be tears of laughter of course, it’s not like our column is ever an oar-deal. We’d hate to be considered keeljoys. 

The waterline work on Old Mill Road has started. That road will be closed as the work requires excavation of the roadway to install a new water main and service connections. Residents will have access to their property, but may have to use Newburn road via Graham’s hill at times. 

Not only is the fire hall rebuild making good progress, the Billings Fire Department is also updating its tools and equipment to help keep the community safe. The department has received The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada Lifesaving Equipment Grant which will allow the department to purchase ten sets of Innotex Energy bunker gear which will help keep firefighters safe from heat and hazards they face while carrying out their all-important duties. 

Did you know the township will accept your old batteries for recycling? Drop them off at the town office battery recycling box. 

What does Jack Sparrow use to store his dinner leftovers? Pyrex of the Caribbean. 

Calling all business owners within the municipality of Billings Township! Come out to the Billings Business Group meeting tonight (Wednesday May 10th). Starting at 7pm at the Park Centre in Kagawong, take the opportunity to meet other business owners and discuss issues of concern and opportunity! Contact westman@lambac.org or 705-282-3215 for more information. 

Want to treat Mom AND yourself this Mother’s Day? Bring her out to the Anglican Church Mother’s Day Lunch, Saturday May 13th. The church is offering delicate sandwiches and delectable desserts from 11-2pm. The cost is $20 per person. Don’t limit yourself just to Mom. Bring dads, and uncles and siblings and cousins and neighbours two-doors-down. All are welcome!

As the spring insects begin to emerge, instead of swatting at the blackflies grab a racquet and come out a-swingin’ at the annual Blackfly Tennis Tournament hosted by the Manitoulin Tennis Club. Mark Saturday, May 20 on your calendars (rain date Sunday, May 21), and contact ctheijsmeijer@gmail.com for more information.

A catamaran in the frostbite series race lost its mast and was nearly overturned by a large wave. The headline in the club newsletter the next day was “Cata-frostic Dismaster.”

Go fly a kite! No, really. On Sunday June 4th in Gore Bay you can go fly a kite in the Kite Festival! From 1-4 pm you can enjoy kite flying at the Western Manitoulin Community Garden.It's a free event and fun can be had for all ages. Enjoy the BBQ lunch, get craft at the Make a Scarecrow station, and a Pop-up Play area for the littles. There will also be community service people and their vehicles for viewing and questions. Bring your own kite or use one the festival provides. 

First it was the geese and the sandhill cranes, and now the colourful cabanas have begun their near-annual migration up the hill from the picnic pavilion to the Park Centre. That means the summer market season is just around the corner! Stay tuned for more details.

We wanted to make sure this week’s column had a ferry-tale ending. Have a great week!

May 3, 2023

The nicer spring weather has allowed Team Fergmeijer to get out and about over the last week or two, getting together with friends. Said friends offered us some questions and observations that we just had to share. For example, can lasagna be considered spaghetti-flavoured cake and do scorpions consider lobsters to be mermaids? One friend pondered that it’s odd that we bake cookies but cook bacon, and then suggested that cookie dough is the sushi of desserts (and a lot of discussion broke out over that one). Another pondered that our stomachs must think all potatoes are mashed  potatoes. The ultimate, though, was when it was decided, after much debate, that the most dangerous kinds of canoes are definitely volcanoes. 

The robotics team at Manitoulin Secondary School - Manitoulin Metal - arrived home safe and sound last week, after an incredibly strong performance at the First Robotics world championships in Houston. Out of over 600 teams from all over the globe, Manitoulin Metal was one of 6 finalists for the First Impact Award. The award is the most prestigious in the competition. It honours the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate with a focus on transforming the culture in ways that encourage more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders. Being named one of the finalists guarantees Manitoulin Metal a spot in the 2024 world championships. Well done, team 6865!

The Billings Climate Action Committee’s website offers lots of information for those looking to learn more about how our township is working to become greener. Check it out! https://billingscac.blogspot.com/

Did you know the township will accept your old batteries for recycling? Drop them off at the town office battery recycling box. 

The village is buzzing with construction activity these days! The fire hall rebuild is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. The foundation is in and the walls are going up. The Waterline work on Old Mill Road has started as well. That road will be closed as the work requires excavation of the roadway to install a new watermain and service connections. Residents will have access to their property, but may have to use Newburn road via Graham’s hill at times. 

One time, Team Fergmeijer got kicked out of the coffee club we belonged to. They didn’t appreciate us always wearing tea shirts. 

There is still time to nominate a deserving volunteer for Billings Volunteer of the Year award. Contact Tiana (tmills@billingstwp.ca) with your nominations by May 5th. 

Calling all business owners within the municipality of Billings Township! Come out to the Billings Business Group meeting on May 10th. Starting at 7pm at the Park Centre in Kagawong, take the opportunity to meet other business owners and discuss issues of concern and opportunity! Contact westman@lambac.org or 705-282-3215 for more information. 

Did you know that according to the Institute of Unfinished Research, 6 out of 10 people…

Not sure how to celebrate Mother’s Day? We’ve got you covered! Treat Mom this Mother’s Day and bring her out to the Anglican Church Mother’s Day Lunch, Saturday May 13th. The church is offering delicate sandwiches and delectable desserts from 11-2pm. The cost is $20 per person. Don’t limit yourself just to Mom. Bring dads, and uncles and siblings and cousins and neighbours two-doors-down. All are welcome!

Summer hours have officially kicked in at the landfill, and it is now open Tuesdays & Thursdays from 2pm-6pm, and Saturdays & Sundays from 10am-4pm.

Remember back when ‘a new hip joint’ meant someplace we wanted to go on Friday night? Have a great week!