November 27, 2024

As the days get shorter and nights longer, we thought you might be needing something uplifting, so forgive us for leaning into a more motivational/inspirational lane this week. Remember, Count Dracula was 412 when he moved to America in search of new blood, Sauron was 54000 years old when he forged The One Ring, and Cthulhu had seen galaxies flare into life and fade to darkness before he put madness in the minds of men. In other words: it’s never too late to follow your dreams!

The township is now accepting applications for those interested in joining the NEW Senior's Advisory Committee! The Senior's Advisory Committee (SAC) will: act as a liaison to Council, promote ways to enrich and enhance the lives of seniors within the township, to identify barriers, to form partnerships with the community, provide recommendations to Council based on input received from the community to improve policies regarding the programs and services provided to seniors, identify barriers to access Township programs and services by seniors and those with accessibility issues, work with decision makers to achieve an Age-friendly community.If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your application no later than December 11th, 2024 at 4:00pm to tmills@billingstwp.ca. Check out the town website for more information. 

Not only have we moved from daylight savings time to standard time, but we’ve also gone from Summer landfill hours to Winter landfill hours. You can now access the landfill Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm-6pm, Saturdays from 1pm-4pm and Sundays from 10am-4pm.

This week we are wishing Nora U, Candy T, and Chantelle W a happy birthday, as they all celebrate the big 2-9! In banana years, you are ripe enough for bread, and the best is yet to crumb!

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Billings Library silent auction last weekend. It was a huge success, raising funds to support our local library. Auction winners are reminded to pick up their items by December 10th at the library (Tues & Thurs 4-7pm; Sat 10-1pm). Contact the library directly if you need to arrange a pickup outside of regular library hours. Any items not paid for/picked up by the deadline will be offered to the next highest bidder. 

The Manitoulin Community Choir will be performing in Kagawong this Friday, November 29th at 7:30pm at the Park Centre. They’ll be presenting a mix of songs & styles with a little something for everyone. Admission is $15 per person with tickets available at the door.

As we get older, Team Fergmeijer remembers all the people we have lost. In hindsight, perhaps a career as tour guides was not the best idea. Have a great week!

November 20, 2024

It is important to take care of yourself these days. A therapist friend encouraged us to listen to our inner child to help us see things in a new light. We have been trying, but our inner child has to compete with an inner duck who always wants bread and our inner mouse that always wants cheese, as well as our inner focaccia dough which needs to rest for at least 12 hours in a cool, dark place alone before it is ready for anything. Of course, we are also trying to do our part for the planet, so we have started doing meatless Mondays. Though, we spell it “Meetless Monday” and involves staying home and not talking to anyone all day. It just feels good to do our part. 

Not only have we moved from daylight savings time to standard time, but we’ve also gone from Summer landfill hours to Winter landfill hours. You can now access the landfill Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm-6pm, Saturdays from 1pm-4pm and Sundays from 10am-4pm.

Happiest of happy birthday wishes go out to Dwyne C and Mel C. We hope you have a huge birthday party to celebrate. And don’t worry if no one shows up. It just means you can have your cake and eat it, too!

Thanks to all the vendors, volunteers, and visitors at last weekend’s Christmas in Kagawong! It was a great two-day event that had folks coming from all over, with the furthest traveler being from the North Pole! That’s right, St. Nick put in an appearance and helped us kick off the festive season.

Big news: the naming contest for the Pickle Dome has wrapped up and the winning name was the Kagawong River Complex! It’s really exciting that the Pickle Dome has an official name finally. We can’t wait to see if the town installs new signage on the Pickle Dome showing off its new moniker!

Tomorrow! The Billings Library will be holding their annual online silent auction starting on Thursday November 21st. All bidding is done via facebook.com/groups/libraryauction. Something for everyone will be available for bid. Trail rides? Check! Wheel alignment? Check! Basket of chocolatey goodness? Check! With the library now able to accept payment via credit and debit, it’s never been easier to take part in the auction. 

The Manitoulin Community Choir will be performing in Kagawong on Friday, November 29th at 7:30pm at the Park Centre. They’ll be presenting a mix of songs & styles with a little something for everyone. Admission is $15 per person with tickets available at the door.

If you need support, Team Fergmeijer is here for you. We are starting a group therapy session where we sit around to talk about our stresses and eat pasta. We’re calling it Penne For Your Thoughts. Have a great week!

November 13, 2024

You may know Team Fergmeijer as intrepid reporters, but we have recently been discussing what other ways we might fill our time. We started to brainstorm some ideas for businesses that might interest us. We started pondering an all marsupial fighting championship that we would call Mortal Wombat. Then considered a residential security company (Surelock Homes). There was a brief consideration of a fish and chip stand, but the name Frying Nemo seemed a bit dark and we moved on rather quickly. This all came about because our friend, Richard, a flooring contractor we affectionately call Lino Richie (his voice mail message is, “Hello, is it me you’re looking floor?”), formed a partnership with a company that specialized in floor and wall tile called Bonnie Tiler. We decided perhaps entrepreneurial life is the way to go. The current front runner is a gardening business called Back to the Fuchsia, but we haven't made any solid decisions yet. 

Thank you to the Kagawong Cenotaph Board for organizing and sponsoring the Remembrance Day service at the Park Centre on Monday. Remembrance Day may have passed, but you can still check out the banners around Kagawong honouring local veterans. Lest we forget.

We want to send out happy birthday wishes to former Kagawongian Rachel M and seasonal Kagawongian Dave T this week. As you ponder another trip around the sun, just remember that birthdays are like golf; way more fun when you don’t keep count. 

Get your lists and start checking them twice - Christmas in Kagawong is coming up on November 15th & 16th! On Friday, November 15th,vendors will be set up from 4-8pm at the Park Centre, and the Gore Bay Legion will be hosting supper. On the Saturday, vendors will be back from 10am-4pm. Rumour has it St. Nick himself will be putting in an appearance that day from 11am-2pm at the ice rink, where you can also pick up lunch hosted by the Billings Museum Board. Round out the day with a visit to the Anglican Church for their annual meat pie fundraiser, bake sale, craft table and gift bags. 

The Billings Library will be holding their annual online silent auction starting on Thursday November 21st. All bidding is done via facebook.com/groups/libraryauction. Something for everyone will be available for bid. Load of gravel or mulch? Check! Beautiful artwork? Check! Ripley’s Aquarium passes? Check! With the library now able to accept payment via credit and debit, it’s never been easier to take part in the auction. 

The Manitoulin Community Choir will be performing in Kagawong on Friday November 29th at 7:30pm at the Park Centre. They’ll be presenting a mix of songs & styles with a little something for everyone. Admission is $15 per person with tickets available at the door.

Last week’s time change had us really struggling to wake up on time. So we have officially replaced our alarm clocks with pet ducks. Now we get up at the quack of dawn. Have a great week!

November 6, 2024

Always keen to increase community spirit, as well as bring more people to town, Team Fergmeijer is putting together a proposal for a new event for the council’s consideration. We figure the salmon run has real potential to be the central feature of a fall festival. People are practically swooning at the sight of them jumping up the falls each year. Along with education around these amazing fish, we could incorporate music and art, bonfires and dancing; kind of like a smaller version of Coachella. We could call it Salmon-ella! It’s work in progress but we’ll keep you updated on our progress. 

If you have lived in or visited Kagawong over the past 20 years, you have likely seen the impact of the 4elements living arts organization. Over the years, 4e has shared art, writing and poetry, fibre arts, music, workshops, festivals, film screenings, and even a River School along the Kagawong River, with many events taking place within the township. A huge thank you to all the volunteers that have made 4elements the amazing organization that it is. 

We are pleased to have our Manitoulin Mom back after her extended stay in the big smoke. We hear the staff at her hotel were lovely, but the room could have used an upgrade. She is now home and enjoying being in her own space again. 

On Monday, November 11, at 11am, all are welcome to a Remembrance Day service at the Kagawong Park Centre. Sponsored by the Kagawong Cenotaph Board, there will be a silver collection, and a potluck lunch following the service. Before or after the service, be sure to take some time to see the banners around Kagawong honouring local veterans. Lest we forget.

MPP Mike Mantha will be holding constituency clinics at a variety of locations across Manitoulin this month. On Tuesday, November 12th you can book an appointment to offer your thoughts and ask questions of our local representative at the Kagawong Park Centre from 1 - 2pm. Contact the constituency office to make an appointment or for more information (1-800-831-1899 /  mmantha-co@ola.org )

Many happy returns go out to Jody K and Connie F who are celebrating their 29th birthdays. We just think it’s so cool that you were born in the 1900s!

Get your lists and start checking them twice - Christmas in Kagawong is coming up on November 15th & 16th! On Friday, November 15th,vendors will be set up from 4-8pm at the Park Centre, and the Gore Bay Legion will be hosting supper. On the Saturday, vendors will be back from 10am-4pm. Rumour has it St. Nick himself will be putting in an appearance that day from 11am-2pm at the ice rink, where you can also pick up lunch hosted by the Billings Museum Board. Round out the day with a visit to the Anglican Church for their annual meat pie fundraiser, bake sale, craft table and gift bags. 

The Billings Library will be holding their annual online silent auction starting on Thursday November 21st. All bidding is done via facebook.com/groups/libraryauction. Contact the library for more information. 

Did you know? You can tune a guitar, but you can’t tuna fish. Unless of course you play bass. Have a great week!