March 27, 2024

Oh, for peep’s sake, it’s Easter this weekend! We hope you have an egg-stra good time this long weekend. We at Team Fergmeijer are a big fan of the Easter punny, and we know you are just dyeing to find out what puns we have in store for you. We hope we meet your eggs-pectations - we included so many Easter puns, it’s not even bunny. As always, feel free to poach some of our egg puns if you like. Now, on a serious note, it’s easy to go off the peep end on the holidays with plans and activities, so make sure you take some time for yourself. We don’t claim to be eggs-perts, but it is always a good idea to get in some eggs-ercise to ensure you don’t eggs-haust your social battery. No eggs-cuses when it comes to self-care! 

This weekend! The Easter Bunny is hopping back into Kagawong on Saturday, March 30th for the annual Easter egg hunt! Youth of all ages are welcome to come by the Kagawong Park Centre at 11am that day and fill their baskets with goodies. Who will find the Golden Ticket? You’ll have to come out to see! Thanks to the Billings Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee for hosting this event.

With the equinox last week, we’re getting into the swing of spring with lots on the go in Kagawong! First up, “Come as You Are” on Saturday April 13th, and enjoy an evening of contemporary inspirational music (and sing-along) courtesy of Cia and Bill Savage at St. John’s Anglican Church. The fun starts at 7pm with refreshments provided. Donations towards repairing the front stained glass window of the church are greatly appreciated. 

On the following weekend, the Billings Climate Action Committee is hosting an Earth Day event. Come out Saturday, April 20th for a community clean-up, a “junk in the trunk” sale, activities for youth, and information on green technologies. Interested in being a vendor? Contact Vince Grogan at vgrogan@billingstwp.ca for more information.

On the same weekend, join The Island Singers as they celebrate their 60th anniversary! On Saturday, April 20th at 2pm, at Manitoulin Secondary School, current and past members of the choir will be presenting a concert of classics and modern favourites. Tickets are $20 and available at the door. Visit “The Island Singers - Manitoulin Island” on Facebook for more information.

Later on in May, Manitoulin Streams is hosting an outdoor angling trade fair right here in Kagawong! More details on the May long weekend event will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information, check out manitoulinstreams.com, or contact anglingtf.manitoulin@gmail.com, or 613-857-9877. 

Happy 29th birthday to former Kagawongian Micki B who turns 29 this weekend. Someone once said that the best gift is the gift of laughter. So, we are gifting you with the entire back catalog of this column (teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com). You’re welcome!

The township is currently seeking members for the new Ad Hoc Municipal Owned Water System Committee. If you are a resident of the Billings, and own property that currently derives or will derive a benefit in the future from the Kagawong Water System, you may be eligible to serve on the committee. If interested, please submit your application no later than April 5, 2024 at 4:00pm to tmills@billingstwp.ca

Word to the wise: a boiled egg for breakfast is really hard to beat. Have a great week!

March 20, 2024

You know Team Fergmeijer loves a good holiday, and we have been especially pi-ning for March 14th - Pi Day! It’s a day that celebrates both nerds and dessert. What’s not to love? We could quite easily eat pi 22/7, but only a la mode. Anything less is mean. As much as we love pie, we do have an issue with the equation ‘pi r squared.’ Mostly because pi are round and cake are square. 

Cooo-ngratulations to this year’s Sandhill Crane spotting challenge winner, Peter G! Peter both spotted the migratory birds and heard their melodious coo on Wednesday, March 13th. No stranger to the fame that comes with winning this prestigious award, this is Peter’s second time taking the title. Next up: the annual April 1st Sandhill Crane coo-ing competition.  

Feeling saucy? Come on out for the Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser at the Kagawong Park Centre on Saturday, March 23rd from 5pm to 7pm. Tickets are $20 at the door (kids under 11 only $12) with all proceeds going to the Jabbawong Storytelling Festival this summer. Take-out is available. For more information contact Diane Larocque at (705) 919-1751.

Happy 29th birthday to Shirley F and not-quite 29th to Brett V. Don’t stress about your eyesight failing as you get older. It’s nature’s way of protecting you from shock as you walk past a mirror. Side note: we are hoping you youngsters start letting us know when you actually turn 29. We would hate to get your age wrong, and everyone knows we try very hard to avoid looking foolish in this column.

   

Mark your calendars! The Easter Bunny is hopping back into Kagawong on Saturday, March 30th for the annual Easter egg hunt! Youth of all ages are welcome to come by the Kagawong Park Centre at 11am that day and fill their baskets with goodies. Who will find the Golden Ticket? You’ll have to come out to see! Thanks to the Billings Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee for hosting this event.

“Come as You Are” on Saturday April 13th, and enjoy an evening of contemporary inspirational music (and sing-along) courtesy of Cia and Bill Savage at St. John’s Anglican Church. The fun starts at 7pm with refreshments provided. Donations towards repairing the front stained glass window of the church are greatly appreciated. 

The Billings Climate Action Committee is planning on hosting an Earth Day event on Saturday, April 20th! The event should include community clean-up, a “junk in the trunk” sale, activities for youth, and information on green technologies. The committee is currently looking for vendors interested in presenting green solutions with either a booth or in a discussion panel. Contact Vince Grogan at vgrogan@billingstwp.ca for more information.

Keeping on the green theme, Manitoulin Streams is hosting an outdoor angling trade fair right here in Kagawong on the May long weekend! More details will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information, check out manitoulinstreams.com, or contact anglingtf.manitoulin@gmail.com, or 613-857-9877. 

What do you call it when someone gets a huge tattoo of pi on their face? An irrational decision. Have a great week!

March 13, 2024

Fiddle dee dee! ‘Tis only a few days until the greenest of celebrations: St. Patrick’s Day! Team O’Fergmeijer has a friend coming up from Boston for the occasion. He’s totally the life of the patty. He’s more of a clover than a fighter, and always has the best advice. Our favourite is: in the pursuit of hoppiness, you can’t give in to beer pressure. It will only lead to making pour decisions and you don’t want to reach the pint of no return. 

With the ice breaking up on the North O’Channel already, we’re sad to announce that the Kagawong outdoor rink is now closed for the season. Thanks to Andy O’Preyde for heading up a team of volunteers to keep the rink open as much as possible this winter. Please stay off the surface until the ice and slush is removed.

There is a special Townhall meeting coming up on Tuesday, March 19th from 2-4pm at the Park Centre to present the final draft of the township’s Five Year O’Strategic Plan. The discussion will be led by Capital O’Park, and there will be an opportunity for community members to ask questions and provide feedback.

Why cook when you don’t need to? Come on out for the Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser at the Kagawong Park Centre on Saturday, March 23rd from 5pm to 7pm. Tickets are $20 at the door, with kids under 11 only $12, with all proceeds going to the O’Jabbawong Storytelling Festival this summer. Take-out is available. For more information contact Diane O’Laroque at (705) 919-1751.

Mark your calendars! The Easter O’Bunny is hopping back into Kagawong on Saturday, March 30th for the annual Easter egg hunt! Youth of all ages are welcome to come by the Kagawong Park O’Centre at 11am that day and fill their baskets with goodies. Who will find the Golden O’Ticket? You’ll have to come out to see! Thanks to the Billings Parks, Recreation and O’Wellness Committee for hosting this event.

The Billings Climate O’Action Committee is planning on hosting an Earth Day event on Saturday, April 20th! The event should include community clean-up, a “junk in the trunk” sale, activities for youth, and information on green technologies. The committee is currently looking for vendors interested in presenting green solutions with either a booth or in a discussion panel. Contact Vince O’Grogan at vgrogan@billingstwp.ca for more information.

Happy 29th birthday to Kim O’N and Mike O’M who are both celebrating their big days this week. You guys don’t look a day over 29! (Of course, the O’ptometrist recently told us we need a stronger prescription, but we stand by our statement.) 

Town council approved a new Municipal Owned Water System O’Ad-Hoc Committee. The town will be issuing a call for members on their website soon (billingstwp.ca). 

There have been sightings of geese so far, but no reports of seeing O’Sandhill Cranes or of hearing their melodious coo. Will YOU be the first to hear the majestic coo of the cranes? Keep your ear to the ground and your eyes on the sky (also on the fields) and be sure to send in the date and time of your sighting/sounding to fergmeijer@gmail.com to participate in our annual Sandhill Crane challenge! 

Some timely advice: Never iron a four-leaf clover. You don’t want to press your luck. Have a great week!

March 6, 2024

The days are getting longer, and March Break is almost here! Team Fergmeijer wishes all students and teachers a well-deserved break next week.

National Pancake Day was on February 28th this year and we nearly flipping forgot about it! We weren’t sure we were going to admit to forgetting, and kept waffling back and forth over putting it in the column this week. It was a bit of a sticky situation, but in true Fergmeijer fashion, we have for you a hearty serving of pancake puns. You batter believe there are some really good ones to sink your teeth into this year. Here’s hoping none of the jokes fall flat. 

The next Manitoulin Streams Youth Rangers event is just around the corner! Youth in grades 1-8 are invited to join Manitoulin Streams on Wednesday, March 13 from 11am - 2pm at the Park Centre in Kagawong, making it a perfect mid-March-Break activity. Participants will do some maple tree tapping, and enjoy a pizza lunch. Cost is $10 per child, with limited space available. Contact getinvolved.manitoulinstreams@gmail.com for more information or to register.

Happy 29th birthday to a trio of Kagawongians: Arthur H, Shirley F, and Paula V-F! Congratulations on reaching that special age where you are now waking up at the time you used to go to sleep on a Saturday. 

Town council approved a new Municipal Owned Water System Ad-Hoc Committee. The town will be issuing a call for members on their website soon (billingstwp.ca). 

The community rink is open as long as the current cold weather holds (as of this writing), but the volunteers have decided once the ice goes, they will call it for the skating season this year. We are so thankful to everyone who has been working so hard to keep the rink up and running during this crazy winter season! 

What do you call a vampire who eats pancakes? Count Spatula. 

Given the unseasonably warm winter, it is possible we might see the iconic Sandhill Cranes arriving early this year. Will YOU be the first to hear the majestic coo of the cranes? Email any sightings to fergmeijer@gmail.com to participate in our annual Sandhill Crane challenge!

We wanted to surprise our Manitoulin Mom with some homemade pancakes (in part to butter her up so she’d let us borrow her car), but we must have gotten the recipe wrong, because they were absolute crepe. Have a great week!