November 11, 2026

A recent wildlife sighting has caused a bit of a stir in the Rainbow Heights area, where a large wild cat was spotted crossing a driveway. Early reports identified the suspect as a bobcat, although a lynx has not been ruled out. One witness admitted, “I only saw it from behind, so I couldn't pick it out of a lineup.” Unfortunately, a search for wildlife identification guides devoted exclusively to animal butts has turned up surprisingly little. Apparently, “large cat with a nice-looking rear end” doesn't narrow the field quite as much as one might hope. For now, the suspect remains at large.

The Remembrance Day banners displayed throughout the village remind us of the sacrifices made by members of our own community and the impact of war, even in small places like Billings Township. As we wear our poppies, we honour those who lost their lives, those who served, and the families whose lives were forever changed. Today, the Museum Board is holding its annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Park Centre, an opportunity to pause, reflect, and remember. Lest we forget.

The library’s annual silent auction is just a week away! Check out some of the upcoming auction items on FB.com/groups/libraryauction where there are some sneak peeks posted. Join now to be ready when bidding starts on Thursday, November 19th. 

That same weekend is the highly anticipated Christmas in Kagawong market! The market will run 4-8pm Friday, November 20th and 10am-4pm on Saturday the 21st. Head down to the Park Centre to be part of the fun. And while you’re in town, stop by St. John’s Anglican church from 9am - 2pm on the Saturday for baked goods tables, craft tables, and gift baskets. Rumour has it there will also be lasagna as well as beef and chicken pot pies, but they go fast! Be sure to stop in early!

One of Team Fergmeijer’s neighbours claimed they saw a rare Siberian Tiger prowling around, but we think they’re lion. 

The BIllings Seniors Active Living calendar continues to fill up! There’s yoga every Monday at 9am and Wednesday at 11am; Euchre on Wednesday, November 18; Fitness with Kelly every Thursday at 9am; Lunch Bunch on Wednesday, November 25; and a healthy hearing clinic on Thursday, November 26 at 10am. All events are at the Kagawong Park Centre and while some are free, some have a small cost. Contact 705-348-2285 for more information or to register. 

The township is hiring! Billings Township is seeking applications for a full-time Treasurer. Check out https://www.billingstwp.ca/townhall/careers for more information on the position as well as how to apply. Deadline for applications is Friday, November 27 at 12noon.

Did you know: Most bobcats are not named Bob. Bobcat is actually short for Robert Feline. Have a great week!

November 4, 2026

With the cooler weather lately, Team Fergmeijer has been leaning into one of our comfort meals. We made a baked potato to share. Wrapped it up and kept it warm; covered it in cheese and sprinkled it with bacon. Why does that potato have the life we want?

The Remembrance Day banners are up around the town, reminding us of the sacrifice citizens of Billings Township made over the years. The Museum Board will be presenting a Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11th. Stay tuned for further details. 

In case you missed the news last week (have we mentioned that we have to submit these columns a week in advance?), congratulations to Billings mayor-elect Jim Cahill, and councillors-elect John Foster, Stephanie Gillingham, Sharon Jackson, and Rick Vanderschot. Thank you to everyone who ran in this year’s municipal election, and for engaging with the citizens of Billings over the past few months. 

Along with our new mayor and council, we'd like to extend a warm welcome to Billings Township's new CAO and Clerk, Judy Davis, who stepped into her role earlier this month. We wish her all the best as she settles in!

A Kagawongian, a former-Kagawongian, and a Kagawong-adjacent Islander walk into a bar. The bartender asks, “Is this some kind of joke?” No, it’s just this week’s birthday announcements. Happy birthday to Gail L, Rachel M (aka The Cute One), and Connie F! 

And if you’re feeling old, rest assured that you’re not as old as the historic Fox Tower in Pleasant Valley that was just designated by Billings Township as a property of cultural heritage under the Ontario Heritage Act. 

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. Check out some of the upcoming auction items on FB.com/groups/libraryauction where there are some sneak peeks posted. Join now to be reading when bidding starts on Thursday, November 19th. 

That same weekend is the highly anticipated Christmas in Kagawong market! The market will run 4-8pm Friday, November 20th and 10am-4pm on Saturday the 21st. Head down to the Park Centre to be part of the fun. And while you’re in town, stop by St. John’s Anglican church from 9am - 2pm on the Saturday for baked goods tables, craft tables, and gift baskets. Rumour has it there will also be beef and chicken pot pies, but they go fast! Be sure to stop in early!

Thank you to everyone who donated toward the Billings Library’s “Shelf Care” team, raising funds throughout October for the Canadian Cancer Society! Haven’t donated yet? Try visiting https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare to see if you can sneak in a last-minute donation!

We are always keen to build our vocabulary. Here are the words of this week: Induction - the act of inserting ducks; deduction - the act of removing ducks; reduction - replacing a worn out duck. Have a great week!

October 28. 2026

Keep your eyes peeled during peak trick or treating hours on Saturday as little ghouls and goblins will be making the rounds throughout the township. In related news, residents are warned that the KGB may be participating in Halloween trick or treating this year. The Kagawong Gobble Brigade has reportedly been practicing their technique, which consists of showing up uninvited and unannounced, making a tremendous racket, and refusing to leave until food is produced. Basically, business as usual, though it will be interesting to see their costume choices. Rumour has it they are possibly going as Gobblins, or maybe as something truly terrifying to Islanders: tourists asking for directions. 

The Remembrance Day banners are up around the town, reminding us of the sacrifice citizens of Billings Township made over the years. The Museum Board will be presenting a Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11th. Stay tuned for further details. 

Municipal election day has now passed, but seeing as we have to write this a week in advance, we don’t yet know the winners. We’re assuming at least some new council members will have been announced by now. Congratulations to everyone!! 

Last night we heard a strange sound in the house late at night. It might have been a ghost. We hope it was a ghost. We can’t afford for it to be the refrigerator. 

Many happy returns go out to Diane N who turned 29 last week and to Meranda V, who is shockingly close to turning 29 but not quite there yet. Remember when you were little and all you wanted to be was grown up? To buy your own dino nuggies, eat as many as you want whenever you want? We don’t know about you, but that part went beautifully. No idea what happened with the rest. 

WOW! Local Team AELICK's 2026 fundraising for Liver Canada "Move for Liver" has concluded and they raised an amazing $28,005.15. Congratulations!

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. This year, it will launch on Thursday, November 19th and bidding will be open until Sunday, November 22nd. 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. If you are interested in donating something to the library, reach out to billingsreads@gmail.com. 

That same weekend is the highly anticipated Christmas in Kagawong market! The market will run 4-8pm Friday, November 20th and 10am-4pm on Saturday the 21st. Head down to the Park Centre to be part of the fun!

It’s the last few days of the Cancer Society’s October Reading Challenge. The library’s team, “Shelf Care” has been dedicating themselves to whittling down their ‘to be read’ piles for this important cause. Donate to support cancer research through their team link: https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare 

Remember, on halloween, if you hear strange noises outside your house at night, it’s probably just the wind. Or the neighbours. Or something supernatural that followed you home. Sleep tight and have a great week!

October 21, 2026

It is officially trick-or-treat season and Team Fergmeijer has been stocking up on treats to give out on the big night. We’ve also been planning our best tricks… just in case. Keep it under your hat, but we are pondering a prank that would involve swapping all the chocolate bars at the convenience store into different wrappers. That would really get people’s Snickers in a Twix!

The salmon have returned to the river! The restoration efforts have paid off, even before the regreening and tree planting that still need to happen, it is a glorious thing to be able to stroll along the water again and to admire the salmon making their way upstream to spawn. Follow Manitoulin Streams online to see the other amazing projects they are involved in. 

The deadline to drop your municipal election ballot in the mail has passed, but you can still deliver your ballot to the town office right up until 8pm on October 26th (Monday). Contact deputyclerk@billingstwp.ca for anything election-related. 

Upcoming October Seniors Active Living events include Euchre for Fun tonight (Wednesday) 6:30pm (cost of $5), next Wednesday (October 28th) join the Lunch Bunch at noon ($4 - RSVP by this Friday) and/or enjoy a takeout dinner ($5 - RSVP by this Friday). Throughout the fall, Yoga continues Mondays at 9am ($10/class) and Wednesdays at 11am (free), as well as Kelly’s fitness class Thursdays at 9am (free). Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 to RSVP or for more information on any of these activities!

Happy Birthday to three fine examples of Island humanity: Sue W, Ken F, and Rachel B! While not all three have had the good fortune to make Kagawong their home, we believe in celebrating people regardless of their questionable real estate decisions. 

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. This year, it will launch on Thursday, November 19th and bidding will be open until Sunday, November 22nd. 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. If you are interested in donating something to the library, reach out to billingsreads@gmail.com. 

That same weekend is the highly anticipated Christmas in Kagawong market! The market will run 4-8pm Friday, November 20th and 10am-4pm on Saturday the 21st. Head down to the Park Centre to be part of the fun!

Help the fight against cancer! During the Canadian Cancer Society’s October Reading Challenge, members of the library’s ‘Shelf Care’ team will be putting their reading habits to good use as they read every day in the month and fundraise for this important cause. You are welcome to join the Shelf Care team and read along with them, or support the team with a donation (https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare). Remember, a little Shelf Care can go a long way.

What do you call a polar bear in the jungle? Lost. Have a great week!

October 14, 2026

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we enter that delightful time of overflowing leftovers. Honestly, we should probably start our diets again, but it just feels like there is too much on our plates right now. It’s also officially Girl Guide cookie season, which we are always excited for. Just out of curiosity, how many boxes of Thin Mints does one have to eat to see results?

The salmon have returned to the river! The restoration efforts have paid off, even before the regreening and tree planting that still need to happen, it is a glorious thing to be able to stroll along the water again and to admire the salmon making their way upstream to spawn. Follow Manitoulin Streams online to see the other amazing projects they are involved in. 

Vote-by-Mail packages were mailed out last week. Packages that Canada Post was unable to deliver were returned to the township office. The office has been busy contacting these individuals. Get in touch with the office if you haven’t received your package yet. The deadline to drop your ballot in the mail is tomorrow (October 15th), but you can deliver your ballot to the town office right up until 8pm on October 26th. Contact deputyclerk@billingstwp.ca for anything election related. 

Sometimes odd questions occur to us and we just don’t know the answer. For example, when you order the seafood platter and it’s only half the size advertised, do you take the restaurant owner to small clam’s court?

Upcoming October Seniors Active Living events include Euchre for Fun on Wednesday, October 21st at 6:30pm (cost of $5), Lunch Bunch on Wednesday, October 28th at noon ($4 - RSVP by the previous Friday), and Takeout Dinner on Wednesday October 28th ($5 - RSVP by the previous Friday). Throughout the fall, Yoga continues Mondays at 9am ($10/class) and Wednesdays at 11am (free), as well as Kelly’s fitness class Thursdays at 9am (free). Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 to RSVP or for more information on any of these activities!

Happy birthday to Kagawongians by persistent association, Jef-with-one-F, and the delightful Claire T. The best birthday wish we have ever heard was, “May your guests leave the birthday party at your house by 9pm.” This is what we wish for you!

Help the fight against cancer! During the Canadian Cancer Society’s October Reading Challenge, members of the library’s ‘Shelf Care’ team will be putting their reading habits to good use as they read every day in the month and fundraise for this important cause. You are welcome to join the Shelf Care team and read along with them, or support the team with a donation (https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare). Remember, a little Shelf Care can go a long way.

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. This year, it will launch on Thursday November 19th and bidding will be open until Sunday November 22nd. 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. If you are interested in donating something to the library, reach out to billingsreads@gmail.com. 

That same weekend is the highly anticipated Christmas in Kagawong market! November 20th and 21st the Park Centre will be buzzing with vendors and fun. Stay tuned for more information as it is released. 

We love the local thrift store and have found some real gems in the racks. Last week we found two shirts and some neckwear that belonged to a guy who was famously in the Mamas and the Papas. All the sleeves are brown. And the tie is grey. Have a great week!

October 7, 2026

It’s nearly Thanksgiving. A time that always brings out the best (worst?) turkey puns in us. Although we could give you a hen-dred holiday puns, we have been trying to cut back. It has to be a gradual thing, though, because it’s not healthy to just stop cold turkey. So, bready or not, here we crumb!

Have you been through the river trail now that it is open again? The restoration efforts are impressive and even before the regreening and tree planting that still need to happen, it is a glorious thing to be able to stroll along the water again. 

Vote-by-Mail packages were mailed out last week. The township made Canada Post aware of issues with some residents potentially having their PO box still on their voter list registration that could interfering in the packages being delivered. Canada Post was making every effort to get the packages to the correct households, but if you have not received yours yet, give the township a call for assistance. 

Upcoming October Seniors Active Living events include Euchre for Fun on Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning tonight (cost of $5), Lunch Bunch on Wednesday, October 28th at noon ($4 - RSVP by the previous Friday), and Takeout Dinner on Wednesday October 28th ($5 - RSVP by the previous Friday). Throughout the fall, Yoga continues Mondays at 9am ($10/class) and Wednesdays at 11am (free), as well as Kelly’s fitness class Thursdays at 9am (free). Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 to RSVP or for more information on any of these activities!

Did the spring floods damage your property in Kagawong? There may be funds to help you cover some uninsured costs of repair. The Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program is now open for eligible residents. Visit the program website to review the program information and apply if eligible. The application deadline is January 18, 2027. Check out https://bit.ly/billingsrelief for more information.

Help the fight against cancer! During the Canadian Cancer Society’s October Reading Challenge, members of the library’s team ‘Shelf Care’ will be putting their reading habits to good use as they read every day in the month and fundraise for this important cause. You are welcome to join the Shelf Care team and read along with them, or support the team with a donation (https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare). Remember, a little Shelf Care can go a long way.

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. This year, it will launch on Thursday November 19th and bidding will be open until Sunday November 22nd. 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. If you are interested in donating something to the library, reach out to billingsreads@gmail.com. 

We’ve been holding them in the entire column, but we just can’t keep them to ourselves any longer: 

What sound does a space turkey make? Hubble, hubble.

How do injured turkeys walk? They hobble, hobble.

How do you fix turkey shoes? You cobble, cobble.

How does a drunk turkey walk? It wobble, wobbles.

Have a great week!

September 30, 2026

Aanii kina weya! Today is National Truth & Reconciliation Day - a perfect day to get out and about in the community and learn more about the history of the area through the Billings Connections Trail: a series of 35 historical plaques located throughout the municipality with text in three languages: Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), French and English. The trail attempts to integrate the local heritage and history of Anishinaabeg and non-Indigenous residents, and represents the Township’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015) ‘Calls to Action’ for public education that integrates Indigenous history into municipal programs. 

Tonight! Come on out to the Meet the Candidates event Wednesday, September 30th at the Park Centre. The event starts at 6:30pm. Participants will have a chance to ask questions of the candidates. 

This weekend! Break out your cardigans and leggings, it’s time for the Kagawong fall market! This special Saturday market on October 3rd from 11am until 4pm is the perfect way to get into the autumnal spirit. Stop by the Park Centre and check out the over 45 vendors. While you’re in town for the market, be sure to take a walk along the newly re-opened Kagawong River trail and marvel at the incredible restoration work that has been done!

Sure there’s fat bear week in Alaska, and fat marmot week in Colorado. But here in Billings, we have tubby turkey week. Keep your eyes open for the plumpest of the plumed members of our community as they strut their stuff(ing) before going into hiding just before Thanksgiving. 

Upcoming October Seniors Active Living events include Euchre for Fun on Wednesdays at 6:30pm beginning October 7th (cost of $5), Lunch Bunch on Wednesday, October 28th at noon ($4 - RSVP by the previous Friday), and Takeout Dinner on Wednesday October 28th ($5 - RSVP by the previous Friday). Throughout the fall, Yoga continues Mondays at 9am ($10/class) and Wednesdays at 11am (free), as well as Kelly’s fitness class Thursdays at 9am (free). Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 to RSVP or for more information on any of these activities!

Did you know? A freshet is a snowmelt, an annual high water event on rivers resulting from snow and river ice melting. Did you also know? The Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program is now open for eligible residents and property owners affected by the April 2026 spring freshet. Billings residents who experienced damage are encouraged to review the program information and apply if eligible. The application deadline is January 18, 2027. Check out https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ESbse3mgJ/ for more information.

The library has joined the Canadian Cancer Society’s October Reading Challenge to raise money for cancer research. Throughout October, members of team ‘Shelf Care’ will be putting their reading habits to good use as they read every day in the month and fundraise for this important cause. You are welcome to join the Shelf Care team and read along with them, or support the team with a donation (https://fundraisemyway.cancer.ca/teams/ShelfCare). Remember, a little Shelf Care can go a long way.

The library’s annual silent auction is swiftly approaching. This year, it will launch on Thursday November 19th and bidding will be open until Sunday November 22nd. 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. If you are interested in donating something to the library, reach out to billingsreads@gmail.com. 

Happy birthday wishes go out to Mark K and Jamie F, who are celebrating their 29th birthdays (even if they are on the east end of the Island). We hope your birthday is loud, weird, and involves at least one raccoon-related plot twist.

Until next week, baamaapii!