October 29, 2025

Your friendly neighbourhood Fergmeijers have been looking forward to Halloween all year and it’s finally here! Now, given that there are three sanctioned candy holidays, we would like to propose that we leave halloween alone (obviously), but we make Valentine’s day a cheese holiday and Easter can shift to be a potato holiday. 

At time of writing, the Blue Jays are undefeated in the World Series! Though to be fair, this column is due before game 1. But our statement still stands. Let’s go Blue Jays! 

Don’t be a scaredy-cat - bring the little ghouls and goblins out to the Kagawong Park Centre on October 31 from 5pm to 8:30pm!

Happy birthday wishes go out to Diane N who turned 29 recently. And because there is no cure for the common birthday, to Meranda V we say, ‘Cheers to another year!’ as she celebrates another trip around the sun. Not quite her 29th, but getting closer… 

The Library is hosting a fall puzzle swap this Saturday (November 1st). Freshen up your collection just in time for the snow to fly. Stop in between 10am and 1pm to trade your used puzzles for new-to-you jigsaws. No puzzles? No problem. They have plenty to go around!

Did you know Dr. Suess’s mother was a massage therapist? A Ma Seuss, if you will. 

The Seniors Active Living Program is planning a potluck lunch on Saturday, November 8 at 11:30am at the Kagawong Park Centre. Reserve a seat by contacting Mary at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca! 

Remember that time the Kagawong Gobble Brigade took over the road to Maple Ridge? Or the time the township celebrated that special event? 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. 

A gentle reminder, that if you suck at playing the trumpet, that’s probably why. Have a great week!

October 22, 2025

It’s spooky season again and Team Fergmeijer always enjoys getting into the spirit of things. We got together last weekend to try and reach the ‘other’ side. It wasn’t until we managed to contact the departed spirit of a window washer that we realized we’d been mistakenly using a squeegee board. 

To be filed under “current events,” there will be an island-wide power outage Sunday, October 26th from 7am until 3pm. Take note, and plan accordingly. Remember, power outages are no laughing matter: they’re too dark.

Oh my gourd, Kagawong is creeping it real with a special event October 31st at the Kagawong Park Centre, courtesy of the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee. More details coming boo-n! 

Many happy returns to Jack O and Rachel B who are celebrating their 29th birthdays this week. The older you get, the better you get. Unless you are a banana. Also, does ‘many happy returns’ sound like a Costco refund policy to anyone else?

The Library is hosting a fall puzzle swap on Saturday November 1st. Freshen up your collection just in time for the snow to fly. Stop in between 10am and 1pm to trade your used puzzles for new-to-you jigsaws. No puzzles? No problem. They have plenty to go around!

The Seniors Active Living Program is planning a potluck lunch on Saturday, November 8 at 11:30am at the Kagawong Park Centre. Reserve a seat by contacting Mary at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca! 

Thank you to the museum board for their efforts to honour local veterans through the flags hung throughout the village. Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming annual Remembrance Day service on November 11th. 

Dear ghosts, if you can move things around and flicker lights, you can use a mop. Have a great week!

October 15, 2025

We enjoy autumn in Billings so much, wild horses couldn’t drag us away from this place right now. Although, in reality, wild horses could probably drag us anywhere pretty easily. They probably wouldn't even have to be wild; domestic horses could likely do it also. Most horses would have a pretty good shot at moving us at least a moderate distance. More than likely, one calm donkey would be able to handle the job. If we are honest, any of the ungulates would have no issue dragging us away, wild or otherwise. If a herd of determined sheep wanted to drag us anywhere, dragged there we would be. The point being, the Island is incredibly pretty this time of year. 

The Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program is going strong: Fitness with Kelly runs Thursdays from 9-10am, and Monday yoga classes run 9-10am ($5 per class). All activities will be at the Park Centre, and anyone over the age of 55 is welcome to join. 

New date! The Seniors Active Living Program is also planning a Gratitude Lunch on Wednesday, October 22nd at 11:30am at the Park Centre. Come for the food, music, trivia challenge, or to visit with friends. Contact Mary for more information and to reserve your seat, at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca! A $5 donation is appreciated

This week we are wishing a very happy 29th birthday to Islanders Sue W and Ken F, and Island-related Jef-with-one-F, and Claire T. At your age, people expect you to be calm, dignified and sober. Be sure to disappoint them all!

The Billings Library board is busy gathering a fantastic collection of items for their annual silent auction. This year’s online auction is November 13th - 16th. Join on Facebook (FB.com/groups/libraryauction) to be the first to see what is up for bid with sneak peeks starting in November. 

Fall may be in full swing right now, but Billings is already planning a sweet spring with the Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival in the works for March! There will be games, events, vendors, interesting guest speakers and of course food, all with a maple syrup focus. Vendors and baking competitors can pre-register, but tickets for the dinner are not on sale yet. Visit https://manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/ for more information and to register. 

Holy Mackinaw! Rumour has it Toronto Maple Leafs announcer Joe Bowen will be coming to History Hockey Day in Kagawong in 2026! The Old Mill Heritage Centre is looking for Manitoulin hockey or NHL memorabilia for an exhibit tied into the day. Please contact Rick at oldmillheritage@billingstwp.ca or (705) 282-1442 to reserve your spot in the upcoming Local Hockey Hall of Fame!

We are working on a pumpkin spice flavoured antacid. We plan to call it AuTums. Have a great week!

October 8, 2025

It is one of our favourite times of year in Billings - the salmon run! We love when we get the chance to sea them jumping up the falls. Of course, no matter how effishiently the salmon might be able to move, it would be an absolute fluke if one of them made it all the way up. Perch-ance if they were able to get suffishently ca-fin-ated before the attempt? We’ll be honest, it might be time to scale back on some of these puns, but they’ve been reely kraken us up. 

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Kagawong Fall Market on the weekend! It was a wonderful afternoon for everyone involved. 

Here’s an update on  what’s happening with the Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program: Fitness with Kelly runs Thursdays from 9-10am, and Monday yoga classes run 9-10am ($5 per class). All activities will be at the Park Centre, and anyone over the age of 55 is welcome to join. 

The Seniors Active Living Program is also planning a Gratitude Lunch on Wednesday, October 29th at 11:30am at the Park Centre. Save the date! Come for the food, music, trivia challenge, or to visit with friends. Contact Mary for more information and to reserve your seat, at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca!

Never trust a small salmon. It’s a little fishy.

We wish a very happy birthday to eminent Kagawongians Keith, Kim, Dennis and Jamie. Just remember, when dropping hints about birthday gifts around your loved ones, you need to be specific. Saying, “Just get me something with diamonds,” seems clever and cute right up until you unwrap a brand new, shiny pack of playing cards. 

If you want to learn about the progress on the Mud Creek Road access survey, there is a public information evening happening on Friday, October 10th from 4-8pm at the Park Centre. The engineering firm that is conducting the study will be on hand in a drop-in setting to provide information, answer questions, and collect feedback from the public. 

Salmon eggs are so small, you need a mic-roe-scope to see them!

The library board is busy gathering a fantastic collection of items for their annual silent auction. This year’s online auction is November 13th - 16th. Sneak peaks at auction items will be posted to FB.com/groups/libraryauction starting in November. Join now to be the first to see what is up for bid. 

Although it’s only just barely fall, Billings is planning a sweet spring: the Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival is in the works for March! There will be games, events, vendors, interesting guest speakers and of course food, all with a maple syrup focus. Vendors and baking competitors can pre-register, but tickets for the dinner are not on sale yet. Visit https://manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/ for more information and to register. 

Holy Mackinaw! Rumour has it Toronto Maple Leafs announcer Joe Bowen will be coming to History Hockey Day in Kagawong in 2026! The Old Mill Heritage Centre is looking for Manitoulin hockey or NHL memorabilia for an exhibit tied into the day. Please contact Rick at oldmillheritage@billingstwp.ca or (705) 282-1442 to reserve your spot in the upcoming Local Hockey Hall of Fame!

Salmon must have a good data plan, since they’re always streaming. Have a great week!

October 1, 2025

It’s October, which means all of the cobwebs and dust in our houses have officially become Halloween decorations. Autumn is a spectacularly beautiful time of year in Billings and Team Fergmeijer has been enjoying some truly scenic hikes lately. The trick is to carry binoculars with you so that when you make frequent stops, it looks like you’re appreciating nature rather than gasping for air and clinging to consciousness by your fingertips. 

Although it’s only just barely fall, Billings is planning a sweet spring: the Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival is in the works for March! There will be games, events, vendors, interesting guest speakers and of course food, all with a maple syrup focus. Vendors and baking competitors can pre-register, but tickets for the dinner are not on sale yet. Visit https://manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/ for more information and to register.

Tonight! There is a special meeting of council to discuss the new landfill by-laws, October 1 at 7pm at the Park Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend as usual.

We at Team Fergmeijer have been asked to put on our sleuthing caps and help Eleanor from Owen Sound reconnect with a couple she met on the mainland back in July. If you are a new Kagawongian from the Dornock area, and towed your belongings up to the island at the beginning of July, Eleanor would like you to know she misplaced your contact information but would love to get in touch. You can reach out to us at fergmeijer@gmail.com and we can help you reconnect. 

Here’s what’s happening with the Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program! Fitness with Kelly runs Thursdays from 9-10am (free), Monday yoga classes begin October 6 (also free), and Tuesday yoga classes begin on October 7 (still free!). All activities will be at the Park Centre, and anyone over the age of 55 is welcome to join. Contact Mary for more information, at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca!

The township has a new position they are looking to fill for a casual part-time custodian to maintain the municipal buildings, and landfill attendant to assist the current attendant as needed, especially in the summer months. Visit www.billingstwp.ca for the full job posting. The application window is open until noon this Friday (October 3rd).  

We can’t wait to explore the special Fall Market this Saturday. Stop in at the Kagawong River Complex to check out the variety of local and handmade goods (1:30pm to 6:30pm). See you there!

And from the market, mosey on over to the church of St. John’s the Evangelist for an evening of music with Cia and Bill Savage! They’ll be presenting “Come as you are - 2,” an evening of contemporary inspirational music and sing-along at 7pm. Admission is by donation, with funds going right back to the church. Refreshments will be provided.

If you want to learn about the progress on the Mud Creek Road access survey, there is a public information evening happening on Friday, October 10th from 4-8pm at the Park Centre. The engineering firm that is conducting the study will be on hand in a drop-in setting to provide information, answer questions, and collect feedback from the public. 

The library board is busy gathering a fantastic collection of items for their annual silent auction. This year’s online auction is November 13th - 16th. Sneak peaks at auction items will be posted to FB.com/groups/libraryauction starting in November. Join now to be the first to see what is up for bid. 

Save the date and start working your way onto the “nice” list - the annual Christmas in Kagawong market is just around the corner on November 14th and 15th! 

Deep thought of the week: parenthood turns you into a morning person the same way being chased by a bear makes you a runner. Have a great week!