November 29, 2023

We hope all the hunters out there have had some success during rifle season. Team Fergmeijer would never make it as hunters. Anything that requires us to be up early, in the cold, staying still and staying quiet, just isn’t going to work for us. So instead, we stick with our strength… bad puns. Though, maybe we could pass the time in the tree stand playing truth or deer. Honestly, we probably couldn’t hit anything with a rifle, even if we were aiming deerectly at it. Deer can be just too darn cute to hunt, anyway. We had a baby deer hanging around our backyard this summer; we became quite fawned of it. It gave us a great business idea: a company that clones deer. You know, for anyone who’s looking to make a quick buck. 

Many thanks to all the donors who made the library silent auction the largest one yet! And thanks also to all the participants who bid on items, supporting the library. Items can be picked up at the library during regular hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-7pm; Saturdays 10-1pm). Email billingsreads@gmail.com or call 705*282*2944 for more information. 

If a deer ever got its medical degree, do you suppose it would become a hart surgeon?

Let the township know your thoughts! Complete the Strategic Plan Resident/Property Owner Survey by December 15th to give input on what the township gets right, what you’d like to see developed, and where improvements can be made. The online survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP

Thank you to the Manitoulin Community Choir for a lovely concert at the Park Centre this past Friday, which included several performers from Kagawong.

Happy birthday to Kagawongian Candy T and to Kagawong-adjacent Chantelle W, both of whom are turning 29. We wonder if getting up in years helps you save on heating - what with all those birthday candles going at once. You’ll have to let us know!

Is a deer that can use both hands bambi-dextrous?

This weekend! The annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert is this Saturday (December 2nd), at 7pm at the Park Centre. Admission is by donating with all funds going to the Billings Library. Come prepared to laugh, sing, and be entertained. Team Fergmeijer will be there with (jingle) bells on! See you there!

Citizens with property on the water system are invited to a special council meeting on December 12th to discuss the upgrades that were recently completed on Old Mill Road. The meeting will discuss cost recovery options for the work done including consideration of a Capital Cost Recovery By-Law under the fees and charges provisions of the Municipal Act. The meeting is at the Park Centre and will begin at 7pm. Delegations wishing to speak at the meeting must contact the town clerk for a delegation request form (edance@billingstwp.ca). The form must be returned to the office by Wednesday Dec. 6th in order to be placed on the agenda. Written comments and opinions must also be submitted to the clerk by the Dec. 6th deadline to be placed on the agenda. The meeting will also be live-streamed over Zoom. Contact the town office for details. 

If you ever come across a deer with an upset stomach, just give it some Elka Seltzer. Have a great week! 

November 22, 2023

‘Tis the season! No, not Christmas - deer hunting season! We at Team Fergmeijer have nothing against hunting, but given that it involves being up before the crack of dawn, sitting in the cold and wet for long periods of time, having to stay very still, and most difficult of all - having to stay quiet… well, we’ve decided it just isn’t for us. We don’t even know that much about deer other than a few key facts. One: the side that you get the best meat from is the inside. Two: the number one cause of car accidents on the Island is deer (which is crazy, since they don’t even drive!). And three: if you shoot a deer with no antlers that was acting strangely, don’t eat it without cooking it really well (everyone knows it’s dangerous to eat raw kookie doe).

We want to send out an enthusiastic and merry ‘thank you’ to the organizers and volunteers who made this year’s Christmas in Kagawong so much fun! The museum and the Anglican church had yummy fundraising goodies and it is always fantastic to see the local vendors. 

Shhhhh… the Billings Library silent auction is about to begin! Bidding starts at 9am tomorrow (Thursday, November 23rd) and final bids must be in by 6pm on Sunday the 26th. Be sure to join the auction Facebook group (FB.com/groups/libraryauction) to check out the items and bid. But don’t worry about being TOO silent - you can always mute your microphone before celebrating an auction win with a mighty “Hoorah!” All proceeds go toward funding our town library. 

We are sending out happy 29th birthday wishes  to Dwyne C and Nora U. Don’t worry if you get tired trying to count out that many candles for your cake. You can always just relight them a couple of times and make a couple of wishes.

Warm up those vocal chords, and gather some friends for a skit - the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert is just around the corner! This (in)famous community event will be held on Saturday, December 2 at the Park Centre. We are looking for acts to fill the ranks, and have a VERY flexible definition of talent: skits, songs, recitations, jokes, juggling, sword swallowing… we are keen to see it all! Contact fergmeijer@gmail.com if you would like to take part. 

Citizens with property on the water system are invited to a special council meeting on December 12th to discuss the upgrades that were recently completed on Old Mill Road. The meeting will discuss cost recovery options for the work done including consideration of a Capital Cost Recovery By-Law under the fees and charges provisions of the Municipal Act. The meeting is at the Park Centre and will begin at 7pm. Delegations wishing to speak at the meeting must contact the town clerk for a delegation request form (edance@billingstwp.ca). The form must be returned to the office by Wednesday Dec. 6th in order to be placed on the agenda. Written comments and opinions must also be submitted to the clerk by the Dec. 6th deadline to be placed on the agenda. The meeting will also be live-streamed over Zoom. Contact the town office for details. 

Now that the leaves are down off the trees, things are looking anything but green. So be sure to get your green fix from the Climate Action Committee’s blog! There’s a new post up with the results of the composting survey done this past summer. Check out https://billingscac.blogspot.com/ for more information.

The township’s strategic plan resident survey is live! You have until Sunday (November 26th) to have your say. Access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP

You’ll never guess who we bumped into when we went to get our glasses fixed. Everyone. Have a great week! 

November 15, 2023

No context for this week’s starter, other than that you know we a-peach-iate a good food-related pun: We could have sworn we heard about a country making money out of soft, pear-shaped fruit with sweet dark flesh and many tiny seeds… Though it may have been a fig mint of our imagination.  

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Kagawong Remembrance Day service last weekend. We are very excited to see the results of the Ethel Mulvany documentary. A special thank you to the Old Mill Heritage Centre for hosting the event.

We’re so excited we’ve got our tinsel in a twist! This weekend, November 17-18, is the annual Christmas in Kagawong market. The many vendors will fill the Park Centre chock full of amazing, creative and unique things. While you are out, stop in to the Anglican church for goodies and gifts. They are also selling homemade tourtiere, turkey pot pies, and spaghetti sauce. We know what we’re having for dinner on Saturday! Christmas in Kagawong is THE spot to pick up interesting and unique items for everyone on your list (including yourself). 

Rumour has it that Santa himself will be stopping by! Visit with Saint Nick at the Kagawong Outdoor Rink on Saturday November 18th, 2023 between 10am - 1pm. You can hand-deliver your letter to him, and be sure to smile for a photo. Emails will be collected if you wish to have a free electronic copy of the photo shared with you. Thank you to the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee for coordinating with Santa’s elves to free him up for the day to join us!

Have you seen some of the amazing items up for bid at this year’s Billings Library Silent Auction? Be sure to join the auction Facebook group (FB.com/groups/libraryauction) to be ready to bid when the auction starts. Bidding begins at 9am on Thursday, November 23rd and final bids must be in by 6pm on Sunday the 26th. All proceeds go toward funding our town library.

Turns out some people believe those who make bad birthday jokes should be pun-ished, so we will simply wish Dave T many happy returns as he celebrates his 29th birthday. 

Warm up those vocal chords, and gather some friends for a skit - the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert is just around the corner! This (in)famous community event will be held on Saturday, December 2 at the Park Centre. We are looking for acts to fill the ranks, and have a VERY flexible definition of talent: skits, songs, recitations, jokes, juggling, sword swallowing… we are keen to see it all! Contact fergmeijer@gmail.com if you would like to take part. 

Every now and then, Team Fergmeijer has to talk trash. Don’t forget that the Billings landfill is now on winter hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2pm-6pm, Saturdays 1pm-4pm, and Sundays 10am-4pm. 

The township’s strategic plan resident survey is live! You have until November 26th to have your say. Access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP

We hear deer hunters are always game for a good pun. That makes sense, since joke-wise, puns are the most bang for your buck. So then is it true that antlers make the heart grow fawn-der? Have a great week!

November 8, 2023

B-autumns up! We are on that fine line between fall and winter, and if you don’t like sappy puns, well you better leaf right now. It’s no secret that Team Fergmeijer loves the golden time between summer and winter (our favourite outfit is a har-vest). In fact, we recently finished writing a really long book about the fall season. It’s a tome. But don’t worry, the main characters live apple-y ever after in the end. 

The Kagawong Cenotaph Board is once again presenting a Remembrance Day service on Saturday, November 11th, at 11am, at the Kagawong Park Centre. All are welcome to join Dr. Suzanne Evans, author of “A Taste of Longing,” which highlights the experiences of Manitoulin Island’s Ethel Mulvany and her time as a prisoner of war in Singapore during WW2. A documentary film crew will be in attendance as they explore her life. Potluck lunch (finger foods only) to follow, silver collection appreciated.

All aboard!! The Manitoulin Secondary School Musical Theatre Program invites you to “The Emerald Heist'' dinner theatre experience this Friday and Saturday. The killer has covered their tracks well, and the truth is hidden in train sight. Join your fellow passengers in the dining car as you enjoy a delicious three-course dinner and work to unravel whodunit. Work together to keep the evening from going off the rails while you determine the criminal’s loco-motive. Email fergusj@rainbowschools.ca for more information, or purchase your tickets online at www.ticketspice.com/emeraldheist

Why did the turkeys cross the road? To go through the Main Street Express drive-through, of course! Keep your eyes peeled on the highway coming into town from the east. The turkeys have been roaming that area lately and you don’t want to fowl up your commute. 

This November, Billings is kicking it into high gear with events galore! Everyone is welcome to the next Island Wide Waste Management Meeting on Tuesday, November 14th at 7:00pm, at the Kagawong Park Centre. 

The following weekend, November 17 and 18th, is the annual Christmas in Kagawong market. The many vendors will fill the Park Centre chock full of amazing, creative and unique gifts. Always a highlight of the approaching holiday season!

Hot on the market’s heels is the library’s annual silent auction. Bidding starts at 9am on Thursday, November 23rd and final bids must be in by 6pm on Sunday the 26th. Join the auction Facebook group (FB.com/groups/libraryauction) to see some sneak peeks of the items that will be up for grabs and to be ready to bid when the auction starts. 

Finally, save the date for the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert! This (in)famous community event will be held on Saturday, December 2 at the ever-versatile Park Centre. We are looking for acts to fill the ranks, and have a VERY flexible definition of talent: skits, songs, recitations, jokes, juggling, sword swallowing… we are keen to see it all! Contact fergmeijer@gmail.com if you would like to take part. 

Another year older, another year of questionable life choices for Jody K and Connie F. Happy 29th birthday to you both!

Go figure! Skating, that is… If you are interested in volunteering to help maintain the community rink this winter, please contact Tiana at the town office (tmills@billingstwp.ca). 

We have low-key porch envy every time we go past Ethel N’s house. We have no idea how she manages to decorate things so fantastically in the fall. Maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s maple leaves. Have a great week!

November 1, 2023

Kagawong was hopping with ghosts and goblins on Tuesday as they made the rounds to homes and businesses taking the opportunity to eat, drink and be scary. Team Fergmeijer was pleased to see so many stop in to visit, but no one has called us since. We’re a bit concerned that we’ve been ghosted.  

The Kagawong Cenotaph Board is once again presenting a Remembrance Day service on Saturday, November 11th, at 11am, at the Kagawong Park Centre. All are welcome to join Dr. Suzanne Evans, author of “A Taste of Longing,” which highlights the experiences of Manitoulin Island’s Ethel Mulvany and her time as a prisoner of war in Singapore during WW2. A documentary film crew will be in attendance as they explore her life. Potluck lunch (finger foods only) to follow, silver collection appreciated.

All aboard!! The Manitoulin Secondary School Musical Theatre Program invites you to “The Emerald Heist'' dinner theatre experience on November 10th and 11th. The killer has covered their tracks well, and the truth is hidden in train sight. Join your fellow passengers in the dining car as you enjoy a delicious three-course dinner and work to unravel whodunit. Work together to keep the evening from going off the rails while you determine the criminal’s loco-motive. Email fergusj@rainbowschools.ca for more information, or purchase your tickets online at www.ticketspice.com/emeraldheist

November is a busy month in Billings! The next Island Wide Waste Management Meeting is coming up on Tuesday, November 14th at 7:00pm, at the Kagawong Park Centre. Everyone is welcome.

Shortly after that, the annual Christmas in Kagawong market will be November 17th and 18th, also at the Park Centre. Stop by and get everything from stocking stuffers to unique, meaningful gifts created by local craftspeople. 

And don’t forget about the Billings Library’s annual silent auction November 23rd to 26th. Join the auction Facebook group (FB.com/groups/libraryauction) to see some sneak peeks of the items that will be up for grabs and to be ready to bid when the auction starts! 

Finally, save the date for the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert! Saturday, December 2 at the ever-versatile Park Centre. We are looking for acts to fill the ranks, and are VERY open-minded when it comes to talent: skits, songs, recitations, jokes, juggling, sword swallowing… we are keen to see it all! Contact fergmeijer@gmail.com if you would like to take part. 

We figure birthday wishes should be like a good party dress. Long enough to cover the important bits, but short enough to hold people’s interest. So happy birthday to Gail L who turns 29 this weekend, and a happy belated birthday to Diane N who we are sure is slowly recovering from her big day last week. 

Go figure! Skating, that is… If you are interested in volunteering to help maintain the community rink this winter, please contact Tiana at the town office (tmills@billingstwp.ca). 

Deer season is just around the corner! Which made us wonder, do poltergeists need a haunting license? Have a great week!