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Friends and Neighbours

Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer

We hope you all had a fang-tastic Halloween night. Team Fergmeijer tries to live by the motto, go big or gourd home, and so we still dress up and go trick or treating. We can sometimes get a bit silly when we have too much sugar, but since we were in disguise, we are hopeful that our wild behaviour (after goblin candy all night) didn’t give people pumpkin to talk about. We are BFFs (best fiends forever), and we always have each other’s backs. For instance, when one of us ripped a hole in our pants on Halloween night, the other (who always has her sheet together) was quick to fix it right up with a pumpkin patch. Of course, one of the best parts of Halloween is being able to break out all of our most candy corny puns!
In a candy-coated full circle, this year Halloween marks the last day of Chocolate Works deliciousness for the year. We will miss their smiling faces and hot coffee, as well as their unofficial brunch offerings. Enjoy a well-deserved break, and we will be first in line when you open again in the spring. Many happy returns go out to Gail L who turns 29 today. They say that with age comes new skills. Like being able to laugh, cough, sneeze and pee all at the same time! The Billings Heritage Centre will be holding an in-person, indoor Remembrance Day service this year. After two years of COVID limitations, the service will return to the Park Centre on November 11th beginning at 11 am. Several military guests will be in attendance along with local MPP, Michael Mantha, to lay a wreath. Different themes will be acknowledged during the service, including the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid, Dianne Fraser reflecting on Canadian Peacekeeping and remembering the Cold War, with Rick Nelson delivering a speech covering the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lest we Forget.
Congratulations to the new slate of Billings Township Councillors, elected last week, and thank you to the current council for helping us weather the past few years of pandemic. Take note – the Billings landfill will be closed early tomorrow (Thursday, November 3). Be sure to drop off anything you need to drop off by 5 pm. Also, as of this week we are also back to winter landfill hours. Until March 31, the landfill will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-6 pm, Saturdays from 1-4 pm, and Sundays from 10 am – 4 pm.
There’s been lots of exciting activity at the outdoor rink this past week as the roof gets put into place. We wanted to include a roof pun here for the occasion but thought it might go over your head. Anyone using the fire hall fill station can still access water during the renovations and remediation, but please always use caution when in the proximity to the fire hall and workers. Christmas in Kagawong is swiftly approaching like a herd of flying reindeer! It runs November 18-20th. Friday night fun at the Park Centre runs from 4 – 8 pm and carries on Saturday 10 am – 3 pm. And you better watch out… Santa will be visiting on Sunday the 20th! During the Christmas in Kagawong weekend, the Anglican Church will have a variety of crafts, gift baskets and goodies available for sale, including homemade meat pies, lasagna and perogies to take home for dinner! Visit the church Saturday the 19th from 9 am – 2 pm to check out all the treats. There are limited supplies of the meat pies, lasagna and perogies, so don’t wait until the last minute! While you are out getting in the spirit of things, be sure to pop over to the Manitoulin Secondary School Christmas Shopping Spree at the M’Chigeeng complex. Doors open on Saturday, November 19th from 10 am – 4 pm. With dozens of vendors to choose from, you can fill your stockings while helping support MSS teams and clubs at the same time! The library’s annual silent auction is back for 2022! Join the auction Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groups/libraryauction) to see sneak previews of some of the fantastic items that will be up for bid. There are the always-popular items like gravel and mulch, beautiful art and crafts, as well as tickets to some exciting attractions in Sudbury and Toronto. The auction will go live Thursday, November 24th and closes Sunday, November 27th. All proceeds go to support Billings Library.
Have a good week!

Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley

I noticed in the paper a report about construction in Little Current. Well, Meldrum has quite a bit of construction as well. Patrick’s house was wrapped in tarps so that he could work on it during good weather or bad and the tarps are now down, and it looks really nice. Take a right on Joyce Road and you will be quite impressed with the work that he has done. Roger is working on a place on Water Street. We are enjoying driving by and checking on its progress. There’s a house going up near White Sea. Walls are up and roof is going up. My husband and I are breathing a sigh of relief because winter is coming. All this hard work and creativity going on and our job is to drive around and watch the work get done. Bryan and Helen have a new metal roof on their home. The same contractor that did Rose’s roof did theirs. It is a very nice deep brown colour. I think our roof needs an upgrade!
I was asking Rene about the mouse infestation in his car. He said that he had solved the problem. No more mice for several weeks. But he did have a surprise. He turned on the heater this week for the first time this year. He was showered with seeds and other mouse stuff, final parting shot from the mice. But I think he is quite pleased with himself for solving his problem.
Congratulations to Lisa Corbiere-Addison for winning the Rainbow Board trustee race.
The church in Meldrum is closed for the season but will be open during the fall deer hunt. People from Meldrum have been driving to Silver Water on Sundays.
Terry Arnot’s Celebration of Life was held in Silver Water on Saturday. I could not go due to struggling with shingles. We considered Terry a good friend and we would have liked to be there. It was well attended. Janice Frame conducted a very nice service. Eric and Linda sang Terry’s favourite song, “Whispering Hope”.
Rose Van Every had company. Her daughter Kelly Hildreth, Kelly’s son Dylan and his fiancé Miriah were up for the week along with two dogs. They arrived Monday and left Saturday.
For those in the West End, Karen is asking for baking for the Christmas Fair in M’Chigeeng. Proceeds will be going to the Medical Centre. What a delight! Goodies for a good cause.
Friday night at cards there were three tables. High ladies’ was Myra Duncanson with 67 points, High man was Guy Bigras with 66 points, ladies’ lone hands went to Rose Van Every with five, men’s lone hands went to Diane Jones with four, most euchres went to Brenda Carter with 13 and the juice went to Doug Carter. The money jar is safe for another week.

Barrie Island
Lillian Greenman
Sympathy to the Lane family in the passing of Mr. Lawrence (Larry) Lane on October 23, 2022 in St. Catharines. Predeased by parents Lloyd and Evelyn Lane and his brother Peter.

Silver Water
Karen Noble

Charles and Lynn Pickard had her brother, David Marshall and sister-in-law, Norma visit last week from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.
Dad was moved to the Mindemoya Hospital last week. Lara Chevrette visited him the first two days and I went on the weekend.
Lara and Chad Chevrette went to Peterborough on the weekend to return Larissa and her friend Micaela. On their way home, they picked up a puppy in Pickerel River for a neighbour in Gore Bay.
Lynn Pickard hosted a group of ladies last Tuesday night for a potluck supper and playing cards.
The Celebration of Life for Terry Arnot was held on Saturday. Janice Frame led the service with help from Ardith Cull reading, Kathleen Everett playing the organ, Sara-Lyn’s sister, Caroline reading, Eric and Linda Thiessen singing, Laurette Tsun and Jose Daniels singing. Terry’s son David and several others attended through Zoom.
There were lots of people out to euchre on Thursday and Friday nights.
Murray Duncanson arrived home from moose hunting with Oliver Coburn on Saturday.
This Wednesday, November 2, everyone is invited to games night and welcome to bring a cribbage board.
On Thursday, November 3, the UCW has their meeting at St. Andrew’s United Church in the afternoon.
On Sunday, November 6, there will be a Local Services Board pre-budget meeting at the Silver Water Community Hall at 2 pm. Posters with the agenda will be posted this week.
On Friday, November 11, there will be a Remembrance Day service and potluck supper beginning at 4:30 pm. The donations collected will go to the Angel Bus.
I have agreed to organize baking for the M’Chigeeng Christmas market on Saturday, November 5. The proceeds of what we collect and sell will go to the Gore Bay Medical Centre. Anyone who is willing to donate any baking, please let me know so I can arrange to collect it on the Friday before. We encourage everyone to come out to the market to shop locally from all the vendors who have had three years to increase their inventory.
There will be a Hunters’ pancake breakfast at the Silver Water Community Hall on Sunday, November 20 from 8 to 10 am for $15 per person. The menu will include pancakes, waffles, sausages, syrup, strawberries, whipped cream and beverages. The proceeds will go to the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary.
Stop 540 will be open for breakfast on Sunday morning, November 20 as well. The menu is posted on their Facebook page.

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