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!

September 24, 2025

School has been back in session for a few weeks now, and we thought now was a good time to share some of the deep thoughts about the English language that have been plaguing us lately. You only see ‘glom’ with ‘on to’ and if you see ‘fro’ it’s usually with ‘to’ in front of it. If you are ‘wreaking’ 99% of the time it’s ‘havoc’ and if you want to ‘ebb,’ you will likely ‘flow’ immediately after. You only see ‘lop’ with ‘off’ or ‘sided;’ You only see ‘beck’ with ‘and call.’ There are many ‘wrenches’ but ‘wrenching’ usually involves a ‘gut.’ ‘Downpours’ and ‘rain’ are the only things that seem to be ‘torrential’ and most ‘troves’ are ‘treasure’ in nature. 

The Old Mill was under construction last week as a new accessible entryway was put in. At the time of writing this column, the work was wrapping up and the Old Mill is back in business. 

The Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program is in full swing for the fall, and is inviting anyone over the age of 55 to come and take part. Fitness with Kelly runs Thursdays from 9-10am (free), and yoga classes begin on October 7 (also free). On Tuesday, September 30 at 6:30pm, join Sheila for a painting night, where participants get to paint a hat! There will be different designs to choose from, as well as refreshments. Cost for the painting night is $60. All activities will be at the Park Centre. Contact Mary for more information, or to reserve your spot at the painting night, 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 on Friday, October 3rd.  

Are you going through popcorn withdrawal? Don’t worry! There will be a special Fall Market on Saturday, October 4 from 1:30pm to 6:30pm at the Kagawong River Complex. Save the date, and be sure to stop by and check out the variety of local and handmade goods! 

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 on October 4. Admission is by donation, with funds going right back to the church. Refreshments will be provided.

This summer, St. Joseph’s took over operations of the Manitoulin Lodge in Gore Bay. With plans for a new facility in the works, the public is invited to meet with Kristal Lafantaisie, Director of Development with St. Joseph’s Foundation to learn about the new facility, how it will benefit the community and how you can help. There will be three chances to participate on Wednesday, October 1st: at Gordon/Barrie Island Community Hall (9:30-10:30am), at the Silver Water Community Hall (1-2pm), and at the Mindemoya Community Hall (3-4pm). 

Join Manitoulin Streams for their annual guided salmon tours! From October 1st to 31st (excluding Thanksgiving Monday), join a Manitoulin Streams guide along the Kagawong River to learn more about the science and stories behind the salmon run. Contact getinvolved.manitoulinstreams@gmail.com for more information.

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. Mark your calendars! And if you or your company would be willing to donate goods or services to the auction, the library would love to hear from you (billingsreads@gmail.com). 

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! 

Team Fergmeijer, in their thespian era, once put on a performance about puns. Really it was just a play on words. Have a great week!

September 17, 2025

Team Fergmeijer loves animals! People are often surprised to learn that one of us has a cat named after their father. Which is weird, because how would the cat be named before him? Those closest to us know we love to hear about their stories of animal encounters. For example, a neighbour told us that she saw a fox on the way to work. We have no idea how she knew it was on its way to work, but we appreciated her sharing.

After an incredible summer, the village is settling into the quieter fall season. The Old Mill Heritage Centre is now open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am-5pm, and the library is back to their winter hours (Tuesday & Thursday 4-7pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm). The landfill remains on its current schedule (Tuesdays & Thursdays 2-6pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm) until October 31st. 

The Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program presents Fitness with Kelly! This program runs Thursdays from 9-10am at the Park Centre, and is free to anyone over 55 years old. Contact Mary for more information at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca. Coming soon, free yoga classes for seniors will start in October. Stay tuned!

Are you missing the Kagawong summer markets? Fear not! The market fun continues into the fall with a special Fall Market on Saturday, October 4 from 1:30pm to 6:30pm at the Kagawong River Complex. Save the date, and be sure to stop by and check out the variety of local and handmade goods! 

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 on October 4. Admission is by donation, with funds going right back to the church. Refreshments will be provided.

Join Manitoulin Streams for their annual guided salmon tours! From October 1st to 31st (excluding Thanksgiving Monday), join a Manitoulin Streams guide along the Kagawong River to learn more about the science and stories behind the salmon run. Contact getinvolved.manitoulinstreams@gmail.com for more information.

Kim B celebrated her 29th birthday this past week. We hope you had a wonderful day filled with love, cake and many presents. Team Fergmeijer has often thought that at a certain age, a really good gift would be one of those candy necklaces, but with Tums and ibuprofen.

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. Mark your calendars! And if you or your company would be willing to donate goods or services to the auction, the library would love to hear from you (billingsreads@gmail.com). 

Hear that? Ever so faintly in the distance we can hear those sleigh bells jinglin’. Santa must be on his way! Pencil November 14-15 in your calendars for Christmas in Kagawong!

Did you know? You can catch up on all past Team Fergmeijer columns at http://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com/. That’s right - all the punfoolery in one spot.

Our words of wisdom for this week: An old fox understands the trap. Have a great week!

September 10, 2025

Team Fergmeijer is always working at being healthy. We spent several afternoons last week sitting in front of the Chocolate Works working on staying well hydrated (mostly carbohydrated, but whatever). While there, we did a bit of people-watching and saw a number of locals out and about in warm, woollen sweaters that all appeared to be one size too small. It really is wonderful to live in such a tight knit community.   

This week, a very special happy birthday wish goes out to local aging expert Jamie Ward who turned the big 2-9 this week. We asked him for some words of wisdom on the eve of this momentous birthday, to which he replied: “Dance like no one is watching; sing like no one is listening; eat pizza like somebody might try to take it away from you at any moment, yo!” 

After an incredible summer, the village is settling into the quieter fall season. The Old Mill Heritage Centre is now open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am-5pm, and the library is back to their winter hours (Tuesday & Thursday 4-7pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm). The landfill remains on its current schedule (Tuesdays & Thursdays 2-6pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm) until October 31st. 

Fun fact: koi fish will always travel in groups of 4. If attacked, koi A, B and C will scatter leaving behind the D koi.

The Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program presents Fitness with Kelly! This program is starting up again Thursday, September 11, 10am at the Park Centre. Contact Mary for more information at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca.

Parents of littles who reside in Billings! Register your children (under 5) for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and each month, your child will receive an age-appropriate book in the mail, absolutely FREE. To take part, complete and return the registration form found on the library’s Facebook page (FB.com/kagawonglibrary), or visit the library in person for a paper copy and more information! 

Hear that? Ever so faintly in the distance we can hear those sleigh bells jinglin’. Santa must be on his way! Pencil November 14-15 in your calendars for Christmas in Kagawong!

Here at Team Fergmeijer, we’re never not thinking about what amazing things we’ll find at the library’s annual silent auction. This year’s online auction is November 13th - 16th. Mark your calendars! And if you or your company would be willing to donate goods or services to the auction, the library would love to hear from you (billingsreads@gmail.com). 

Legitimate question: why doesn’t the word coward mean “to move in the direction of a cow”? Have a great week!

September 3, 2025

Today is the first official day of classes for students across Manitoulin. We wish all students and staff a happy and productive start to the new school year. Team Fergmeijer will never forget the inspirational words our teacher once said to us: she said we were just like Superman, except that he had super vision and we needed supervision. 

Good luck, too, to all the young (and young-at-heart) Kagawongians moving away for post-secondary studies. Always remember the important life lessons that Kagawong has taught you: you have to show up early if you want the best baked goods, never swim in the plunge pool after the salmon have spawned, and always alternate your ice cream scooping arm for balanced muscle development!

Kagawong has closed the door on another market season and we would like to thank all the marketers who help create such an iconic event each week. Most of all, we need to offer heart-felt thanks to the one and only Ethel Newburn who works tirelessly to organize and manage all the moving pieces that make the market happen. We appreciate everything you do!

We’ve had a new book idea! It’s a crime novel where the twist is that the chicken did it. It might not win a lot of awards but we are hoping for a pullet surprise.

Body Stories Dance has announced their 2025/26 dance schedule for classes in Kagawong, which include offerings for children, youth, adults & seniors. You can register on their website: www.bodystoriesdance.com

Happy Birthday to our Manitoulin Mom who turned 29 last week. Age is just a number, but you know you are getting up there when people call at 9pm, only to apologize and ask if they woke you up. 

After an incredible summer, the village is settling into the quieter fall season. The Old Mill Heritage Centre is now open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am-5pm, and the library is back to their winter hours (Tuesday & Thursday 4-7pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm). The landfill remains on its current schedule (Tuesdays & Thursdays 2-6pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm) until October 31st. 

Today we saw a man dragging a clam on a leash behind him. It must be difficult to walk with a pulled mussel. 

Want free books for your little ones? Billings families can register their children (under 5) for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library! Each month, your child will receive an age-appropriate book in the mail, absolutely FREE. To take part, complete and return the registration form found on the library’s Facebook page (FB.com/kagawonglibrary), or visit the library in person for a paper copy and more information! 

Getting paid to stand in line for others is a strange ocqueuepation. Have a great week!