June 25, 2025

This is a landmark edition of the Team Fergmeijer column - our 500th! We pondered how best to celebrate this significant moment. One possibility was an all pun edition, but really, how would anyone be able to tell the difference? We also pundered doing a single sentence column, but our pun-chent for pun-chlines wouldn’t let us stop at just one. So, here we are, doing what we do best - entertaining ourselves and hoping a few others out there also think we are the pun-nicle of humour. After all, a truly good pun is its own reword.

Hydro One has a brief planned outage for our area on Friday June 27 in the wee hours of the morning. With luck we won’t even know it’s happening.  

Have your say! The township is revamping how we use the landfill, drafting a new waste management bylaw. Council is keen to hear your thoughts and are accepting constructive criticism of the draft bylaw over the month of June. You can access the bylaw and the public at the township office or on the township’s website (www.billingstwp.ca/news). All comments must be submitted in writing via the comment form or via email to bylaw@billingstwp.ca. All comments must have your name and contact information included. 

Next on the agenda… Steve Paikin will no longer be on the Agenda! That’s right, our local history and political hero (only partly because we aren’t old enough to remember Lester B. Pearson) is retiring. We are looking forward to seeing more of Mr. Paikin right here in Billings with all his extra free time. Because really, where else would anyone rather be?

Team Aelick’s annual stroll for liver in support of Liver Canada is back! This Saturday, the 5k walk through the village starts at the Park Centre at 11am. You can join the stroll, support from the sidelines, and donate through their team page (bit.ly/teamaelick). Donations over $20 qualify for a tax receipt. 

Also on Saturday is the library’s spring puzzle swap! From 10am - 1pm, bring your used jigsaw puzzles to trade for new-to-you challenges. No puzzles? No problem! The library has a large surplus of puzzles and the librarian prefers it when you take more puzzles than you bring. 

The Kagawong market season kicked off in fine fashion today (as per usual!). Thanks to Ethel and her merry band of volunteers who keep things running so smoothly. Stop by the Kagawong River Complex every Wednesday to experience the largest summer market on the Island!

When we were very young, we couldn’t decide between being hairdressers or columnists. We ended up flipping a coin to see if it would be heads or tales. Have a great week!

June 18, 2025

Have you curd? With all the food trucks now open for the season, Team Fergmeijer is going all in on their daily extra fries routine. It’s a spudtacular time of the year when we can truly indulge in this beloved Québecois dish. Don’t agree? We’re just poutine it out there, but nobody puts gravy in the corner.

Mno-Nishnaabe Giizhgad! This weekend, we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day! Here in Billings, be sure to check out the Billings Connections Trail. The Anishinaabeg (Odaawaa, Ojibwa and Pottawatomi) occupied what is now Billings Township long before European settlers arrived. Archeological and oral evidence has established at least 10,000 years of Indigenous occupation on Mnidoo Mnising (Manitoulin Island). To learn more about the history of Billings’ original and settler inhabitants, visit the full series of historical plaques around the township, link to the QR codes on each plaque, and drop in to the Old Mill Heritage Centre in Kagawong, as well as the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation in M’Chigeeng First Nation.

Have your say! The township is revamping how we use the landfill, drafting a new waste management bylaw. Council is keen to hear your thoughts and are accepting constructive criticism of the draft bylaw over the month of June. You can access the bylaw and the public at the township office or on the township’s website (www.billingstwp.ca/news). All comments must be submitted in writing via the comment form or via email to bylaw@billingstwp.ca. All comments must have your name and contact information included. 

Hazy sunrises and sunsets remind us to be grateful to be spared from the forest fires burning out west. Here in Billings, don’t forget that burn permits are required if you want to burn any brush. Stop by the township office to get your free permit, which is valid for one week. 

We are daffodil-ighted to send Happy birthday wishes to Mary N and Stephanie M this week. We hope you have blooming good birthday celebrations that leave you feeling a little rose-y.

June 28th is Team Aelick’s annual stroll for liver in support of Liver Canada. This 5k walk through the village starts at the Park Centre at 11am. You can join the stroll, support from the sidelines, and donate through their team page (bit.ly/teamaelick). Donations over $20 qualify for a tax receipt. 

Also on the 28th is the library’s spring puzzle swap! From 10am - 1pm, bring your used jigsaw puzzles to trade for new-to-you challenges. No puzzles? No problem! The library has a large surplus of puzzles and the librarian prefers it when you take more puzzles than you bring. 

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is now open seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm. Stop by and check out the amazing “ship model” exhibit of all the ferries that serviced Manitoulin for over 100 years! The museum is also gearing up for its big celebration of the 100th anniversary of the mill on July 19th. 

Save the date! The annual island-wide Household Hazardous Waste Day is coming up next month. Typically the third Saturday in July, this is an important way of keeping hazardous things out of our community landfill. Save up your batteries, old electronics, paints, and chemicals - final date to be confirmed soon!

Ohboyohboyohboy… it’s t-minus 1 Wednesday until the Kagawong market kicks off for another season! We can’t wait for June 25th!

The popular Blind Date With a Book fundraiser for the library is happening again this year! Choose from 30+ new books wrapped in plain brown paper with just the genre and general clues to the story visible. As any good date should, each Blind Date book comes with a box of chocolates from Manitoulin Chocolate Works. This fundraiser starts July 3rd and is only available at the Wednesday market in Kagawong.

If we keep eating our fill of fries, curds, and gravy, we might just have to change our name to Pouteam Fergmeijer. Have a great week!

June 11, 2025

We came across an interesting summer job opportunity, and Team Fergmeijer decided to go for it! We applied for jobs sorting bugs at an insect farm. We were called in for an interview and everything seemed to go pretty well - the person interviewing us said we boxed all the right ticks. 

Have your say! The township is revamping how we use the landfill, drafting a new waste management bylaw. Council is keen to hear your thoughts and are accepting constructive criticism of the draft bylaw over the month of June. You can access the bylaw and the public at the township office or on the township’s website (www.billingstwp.ca/news). All comments must be submitted in writing via the comment form or via email to bylaw@billingstwp.ca. All comments must have your name and contact information included. 

Thinking of burning brush as you tidy up your yard? Don’t forget that burn permits are required in Billings! Stop by the township office to get your free permit, which is valid for one week. Burn permits are not required for a small bonfire.

Happiest of happy birthday wishes go out to the one and only Karlene S. May your presents be filled with joy and your cake be calorie free.

June 28th is Team Aelick’s annual stroll for liver in support of Liver Canada. This 5k walk through the village starts at the Park Centre at 11am. You can join the stroll, support from the sidelines, and donate through their team page (bit.ly/teamaelick). Donations over $20 qualify for a tax receipt. 

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is now open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Stop by and check out the amazing “ship model” exhibit of all the ferries that serviced Manitoulin for over 100 years! The museum is also gearing up for its big celebration of the 100th anniversary of the mill on July 19th. 

If you are looking for a fun and easy way to get more involved in the community, the library is looking to fill a spot on its board. Contact billingsreads@gmail.com or stop in at the library to chat with the librarian for more information. 

Billings library’s annual used book sale is only a month away! On Saturday July 19th, rain or shine, there will be thousands of books up for grabs, and you will be turtley surprised by some of the developments in the works!. Did you know that the members of the library board and volunteers get first dibs on books? If you would like to volunteer at the sale, reach out to the library. Volunteer hours are available for any high school students who would like to help out. 

The library will also be holding their annual beach movie on August 9th. They will be showing the a-maze-ing 80s classic, Labyrinth!

As if that wasn’t enough library info for one column, the popular Blind Date With a Book fundraiser for the library is happening again this year! Choose from 30+ new books wrapped in plain brown paper with just the genre and general clues to the story visible. A true choose your own adventure! As any good date should, each Blind Date book comes with a box of chocolates from Manitoulin Chocolate Works. This fundraiser starts July 3rd and is only available at the library’s table at the Wednesday market in Kagawong.

Now, last, but not least - don’t forget that it’s t-minus 2 Wednesdays until the Kagawong market kicks off for another season!

One half of Team Fergmeijer couldn’t figure out why Siri kept calling her Shirley this morning. It was getting pretty annoying, but then she realized she’d left her phone on Airplane mode. Have a great week!

June 4, 2025

Team Fergmeijer has a new book on the way in the next few months! We have made the natural pivot from community reporters to financial gurus, and our book breaks down money milestones you should hit each decade of your life. We’ve managed to get permission from the publisher to include an exclusive sneak peek in this week’s column from chapter 6 - The Dirty Thirties: “By the time you are 30 you should own, not rent, OWN a bouncy castle. This is a time when you should be building equity. The only way to beat inflation is with inflatables.”  

The township has lifted half load restrictions. Good news for anyone looking to haul big heavy things!

 

The Billings Climate Action Committee is looking for another member to round out the group. Any interested persons are asked to contact the township office.

Thinking of burning brush as you tidy up your yard? Don’t forget that burn permits are required in Billings! Stop by the township office to get your free permit, which is valid for one week. Burn permits are not required for a small bonfire.

Happy birthday wishes go out to Alison O, and Trish T. Also celebrating this week is one terrific twosome. Honestly, June 4th is National Hug Your Cat Day, National Cheese Day, AND National Cognac Day. And it falls within National Frozen Yogurt Week. We don’t know what else any of you could possibly wish for when you blow out your candles! 

June 28th is Team Aelick’s annual stroll for liver in support of Liver Canada. This 5k walk through the village starts at the Park Centre at 11am. You can join the stroll, support from the sidelines, and donate through their team page (bit.ly/teamaelick). Donations over $20 qualify for a tax receipt. 

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is gearing up for its big celebration of the 100th anniversary of the mill this summer. Keep your ears to the ground as more details will be available soon. 

If you start your upper body/arm workouts now, you will be in good shape just in time to be able to carry your haul from the library’s annual used book sale on July 19th. Rain or shine, there will be thousands of books up for grabs, and you may be turtley surprised by some of the developments in the works!. 

The library will also be holding their annual beach movie on August 9th. They will be showing the a-maze-ing 80s classic, Labyrinth!

Now, last, but not least - don’t forget that it’s t-minus 3 Wednesdays until the Kagawong market kicks off for another season!

What do you call a bee hive with no exit? Unbelievable! Have a great week!