January 31, 2024

When is a carpenter with a 2x4 like a poem? When he’s a sawin’ it. Speaking of forms of poetry, we are excited to launch our third annual ‘Short Poems for a Short Month’ challenge! Help brighten up the short winter days of Kawongians near and far by submitting your short form poetry for this column. Your effort should be short (think haikus, rhyming couplets, limericks, Cinquain). Email it to fergmeijer@gmail.com to participate. Sadly this challenge does not have a cash prize, because everyone knows that rhyme doesn’t pay.   

The community rink is officially open for business! We are so grateful to all the volunteers that put so much time and effort into making and maintaining the ice surface. Please take care to store any equipment off the ice when you are done and make sure the lights are turned off before you leave if using it after dark. 

The next stage in the Billings Township strategic plan is well underway. Join township staff and consultants from Capital Park Consulting for a special Town Hall Meeting tomorrow (Thursday, February 1) at the Kagawong Park Centre. Identical information will be shared at two sessions that day, which will also provide opportunities for community members to share their vision for the future of the township: session 1 will be from 2pm-4pm, and session 2 will be from 6pm-8pm. All citizens of Billings are welcome to attend. Questions may be directed to Emily Dance, Billings CAO/Clerk, at edance@billingstwp.ca.

Attention all youth! Want to come work in the best village on the island? Kagawong summer student position applications are now open for two marina assistants, one public works assistant, one museum assistant, and one library assistant. Check out the township website for more details (http://billingstwp.ca) but don’t dilly-dally… applications will only be accepted until Friday, February 16. For more information, contact Tiana at the township office, at tmills@billingstwp.ca. 

Did you hear about the two antennas that met on a roof, fell in love, and got married? The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

Be our guest! The Manitoulin Secondary School Musical Theatre Program cordially invites you to their 2024 production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. With singing and dancing galore, all accompanied by a live band, it is an upbeat show perfect for the entire family. Performances run Friday Feb. 16 (7pm) and Saturday Feb. 17th (2pm), as well as the following weekend - Friday Feb. 23rd (7pm) and Saturday Feb. 24th (2pm). Tickets are $20 ($15 for youth under 12) and can be purchased online at bit.ly/MSSmusical or at participating pharmacies across Manitoulin.

Happy birthday Doug C who is celebrating his 29th birthday. We wish you a year that is more Corvette than Pinto for you. Also celebrating is Gabe H. You aren’t  quite turning 29 but we wish you much cake, ice cream and presents anyway!

Baha’i children’s classes each Sunday from 1-3pm at the Park Centre. Youth ages 8-10 are welcome to participate in prayer and meditation, art, and music activities. Organizers also provide a healthy snack! Contact Ina Swain (705-282-3498) for more information. 

What’s a Grecian urn? About 20,000 drachmas a year after taxes. Have a great week!

January 24, 2024

Even after all this time, we still marvel at this beautiful area. We love wandering through town and seeing our friends and neighbours out and about. Though we were walking through the village last night and we passed passed a hot fudge sundae, a lemon cheesecake and a slice of apple pie. It was unusual to see the area so strangely desserted. Did you know that before moving to Manitoulin, one half of Team Fergmeijer lived on a houseboat? She fell in love with the boy next door, but it didn’t last. They just drifted apart.  

The community rink is officially open for business! We are so grateful to all the volunteers that put so much time and effort into making and maintaining the ice surface. Please take care to store any equipment off the ice when you are done and make sure the lights are turned off before you leave if using it after dark. 

The deadline for expressing interest in the vacant council seat is swiftly approaching. The public is invited to apply for the position by the 31st of this month. Full application details can be found on the township website, but the basic requirements include being at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, a resident of Billings Township (or owner/tenant of land in the township). If you are looking to get involved and make a difference, contact the town office (705-282-2611) for more information. There is also an unofficial list of applicants that you can view on the town website (https://bit.ly/councilposition). 

Happy birthday to Kagawongian Jenna C who is celebrating her 29th year. We also send warm birthday wishes to former Kagawongian Susie D who is once again celebrating her birthday in Calgary. Also celebrating his birthday is Kagawong-adjacent Roy R. We aren’t sure how birthdays work in his neck of the woods, but will just assume he’s turning 29. To all of you, some advice as you get another year older - remember, your worth is not tied to your ability to fold a fitted sheet. Just roll it up, stuff it in the closet and get on with your big day! 

Saturday January 27th put yourself together and come out to the library for its annual puzzle swap! Stop by anytime between 10am and 1pm, bring your gently used jigsaw puzzles to trade out for something new. The swap is a perfect fit for everyone - even if you don’t have puzzles to bring, this is a perfect time to piece together some inspiration and stock up. 

Baha’i children’s classes each Sunday from 1-3pm at the Park Centre. Youth ages 8-10 are welcome to participate in prayer and meditation, art, and music activities. Organizers also provide a healthy snack! Contact Ina Swain (705-282-3498) for more information. 

We found a great place online where you can order sausage. Drop us a line and we will send you a link. Have a great week!

January 17, 2024

Much lesser known than the dog days of summer, we currently find ourselves in the cat days of winter: those days where you just want to curl up for a nap by the fire. That’s right - winter is here weather you like it or not. Be that as it sleigh, Team Fergmeijer’s got your back with all the goings-on in Kagawong. It’s a big task, but with great powder comes great responsibility. Stick with us, and after all is sled and done you’ll find yourself walking in a winter pun-derland!

At time of writing, the outdoor rink is not yet open for skating, although volunteers have been hard at work flooding the surface. Keep an eye on the Kagawong Outdoor Recreational Facility Facebook page for updates!

The township has a vacant seat on council and they are looking to appoint a new councillor. The public is invited to apply for the position between January 10th and 31st. Full application details can be found on the township website, but here are the basic requirements: interested parties must be 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, a resident of Billings Township (or owner/tenant of land in the township). If you are looking to get involved and make a difference, contact the town office (705-282-2611) for more information. 

Happy birthday to Lisa L who is turning 29 next week. It’s important to remember that birthdays are really just nature’s way of encouraging us to eat more cake, so be sure to indulge on your big day!

It seems impuzzible, but it has been a year since the last puzzle swap at the library. Be sure to get yourself together to fit a stop at the library into your schedule on Saturday January 27th from 10-1pm. If you miss this year’s swap, we’ll give you a piece of our mind! Celebrate National Puzzle Month by bringing the jigsaw puzzles of your past to trade for the jigsaw puzzles of your future! In related news, a friend of ours emailed us to say she was going crazy looking for the piece she is missing from her 2000 piece puzzle. We can totally understand: we’re missing 1999 pieces from ours. 

Remember that time that person turned 29 years old? Or the time the township celebrated that special event? Want to see if Team Fergmeijer ever doubles up on their puns? Catch up on old times with the complete archive of Team Fergmeijer columns, all the way back to 2015! Check out http://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com to get your fill of puns and haiku. 

Team Fergmeijer had a really heavy table to move and we were afraid of scratching the wood floors, so we called the local weather station to see if they could send us forecasters. Have a great week!

January 10, 2024

A very happy new year to Kagawongians near and far! We hope 2024 brings you all health and happiness. One of our resolutions this year is to cure our crippling fear of New Year’s and get over our Auld Langxiety.

The township has a vacant seat on council and they are looking to appoint a new councillor. The public is invited to apply for the position between January 10th and 31st. Full application details can be found on the township website, but here are the basic requirements: interested parties must be 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, a resident of Billings Township (or owner/tenant of land in the township). If you are looking to get involved and make a difference, contact the town office (705-282-2611) for more information. 

We were extremely saddened to hear of Barb Erskine’s passing just before Christmas. You may have crossed paths with Barb as she served on town council, or while she was volunteering within the community as a member of the Library board and the recreation committee. Or perhaps you bid on one of her amazing cakes at a local silent auction. Maybe you played pickup hockey with her, or danced along with her at Zumba. Many raised a Split Rail pint with her. She impacted many with her kindness, and was a relentless advocate for underserved populations. She will be missed. Friends are invited to gather at the Kagawong Park Centre Saturday, January 13th at 11am for a memorial service for Barb, followed by a luncheon.

The next township council meeting is January 16th, 2024 and will be virtual. The Old Mill Road water system improvements and cost reclaim plan will be on the agenda. Full agenda package and virtual meeting connection details can be found at billingstwp.ca/council-meetings/2024-council-agendas-and-minutes/

Happy 29th birthday wishes go out to Harrison N and John F. In honour of your very special day, we went all out and came up with a Birthday Haiku for you:

For your birthday, friend,

We wrote this haiku for you.

Worst present ever.

The weather might be getting colder, but you can get your artistic side all fired up with free online workshops with Manitoulin Island artist and art instructor Helen Siksek (in collaboration with 4elements Living Arts). The series of four online winter workshops are designed to guide you from thinking about art to communicating in a visual language, to creating art of your own. The first workshop is this Saturday (January 13) 2pm - 4pm and will be an introduction to land art with a slide presentation, brainstorming, creative activities and community chat. Contact Helen at helen@4elementslivingarts.org for more information and to register. 

Feeling a bit scattered in the new year? The library can help you find piece of mind at its annual PUZZLE SWAP! Saturday January 27th, celebrate National Puzzle Month by bringing the jigsaw puzzles of your past to trade for the jigsaw puzzles of your future! This free event is a great fit for newbies as well as puzzle aficionados who like to live on the edge. Mingle with other like-minded puzzle lovers and piece together which puzzle you want to take home with you. We really hope you can fit this into your busy schedule (we know you jig saw what we did there).

Remember that time that person turned 29 years old? Or the time the township celebrated that special event? Want to see if Team Fergmeijer ever doubles up on their puns? Catch up on old times with the complete archive of Team Fergmeijer columns, all the way back to 2015! Check out http://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com to get your fill of puns and haiku. 

We are proud to share that even this early in the new year, we have already accomplished two-thirds of our New Year’s resolution to “drink more water!” So far, we’ve managed the “drink more” part. Have a great week!