July 17, 2024

Did you know? The United Nations declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids (IYC 2024). The Year highlights how camelids (such as camels, llamas, and alpacas) are key to the livelihoods of millions of households in hostile environments across over 90 countries. Not sure how to celebrate? No prob-llama! Your best pal-paca Team Fergmeijer will get you over that hump! So, pour yourself a glass of llamanade and enjoy the jokes and puns in this week’s column. We are confident they aren’t an alpaca-lapse in judgment.  

Don’t forget about the ongoing PickleDome naming contest. Name suggestions for the Kagawong  covered rink are being accepted at the town office until the end of August. 

Team Fergmeijer loves a good competition, so we are pleased to announce a (completely informal and not-affiliated-with-the-township) naming competition for the town’s recently acquired new tractor. In first place is Tractor McTractor-Face but also in the running are Tiller Swift, The Mower Ranger, Darth Blader, Tractosaurus Rex, Wheely Willy, and the Tillage Tycoon. Email fergmeijer@gmail.com and let us know your pick!

The Manitoulin Tennis Club meets twice a week, and welcomes players of all abilities to come out and play on Sunday mornings at 10am and/or Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm, both at the Manitoulin Secondary School courts. 

No one is afraid of llama kisses, so why is everyone so worried about the alpacalips?

Happy birthday wishes go out to a bevy of Kagawongians: Linda R, Ardiss F, Arik T, Ethan T, and Carol G (who is Kagawong adjacent, but we don’t let that stop us) are all turning 29 this week. We hope your big days are absolutely llamazing!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Kagawong Show and Shine car show last Saturday, and thanks especially to the Billings Parks, Recreation, and Wellness committee for sponsoring the event!

Thanks also to the Billings Public Library for hosting the beach movie Saturday night. We all learned that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's what you do with your dancin' shoes!

We tried to phone the spiritual leader of Tibet once, but was sent a big goat with a long neck instead. We must have phoned Dial-a-Llama by mistake.

This weekend, July 20th, the Billings Library is hosting their annual book sale and a local author showcase on Saturday (11am-3pm). Come on out to the picnic pavilion and get your read on, and ask the township librarian about having your library card llamanated. Also that weekend, the Manitoulin Art Tour will spotlight a number of Billings artists in the region over the course of the entire weekend - don’t miss out! Finally, the island-wide Household Hazardous Waste Day is also on July 20th. Residents of Billings Township can bring their batteries, old electronics, paints, and chemicals to the Mindemoya Roads Building that day from 1pm-4pm for disposal.

The annual marine service at St. John’s Church is this Sunday, July 21st. The service starts at 9am and all are welcome.

Riding a camel isn’t as hard as you think, though it does have its ups and downs.

Save the date! The annual History Day in Kagawong is coming up on August 8th at the Park Centre in Kagawong. In both the matinée (3:30pm) and evening (7:30pm) sessions, author & journalist Mike Strobel will speak about the North Channel “Rhu” tragedy, and author & journalist Richard Thomas will celebrate the Chi-Cheemaun with 50th anniversary sailing stories. Don’t miss out! Follow the Old Mill Heritage Centre on Facebook (facebook.com/KagawongMuseum) for more information.

This week’s words of wisdom: Llisten to your heart. Do your best to llook on the bright side. Llet your hair down once in a while, and llearn to llaugh more. Llive and llet llive, and most importantly, llove llife! Have a great week!