Peter and Janet Fathers have returned from a month-long road trip. Their first stop was in Fernie, BC to visit their eldest son who is a chef there. Then they took Highway 1 down the Washington and Oregon coast staying in parks or KOA campgrounds with the little trailer they had rented. They report that though the weather was mostly rain with bits of sun, the ocean views were stunning. San Francisco was sunny and beautiful and was the highlight of their trip. They visited friends there and took the ferry to Pier 39 and to view the Golden Gate Bridge and visited the famous Alcatraz. Driving northeast on their return, the roads were like ribbons with sun all the way. It was 80°F in Denver! That’s almost 27°C! Once back in Ontario, they visited their daughter and her family near Lindsay then headed to Bracebridge to return the trailer. There it began to snow. They visited their youngest son in North Bay and stayed the night due to a snowstorm. Back in Providence Bay, Peter was able to don his shorts again, as the grass was still green and it was lovely and warm. They had an awesome trip, but they’re always glad to come home again to Providence Bay.
A local woman has sent out a plea for help after her husband is diagnosed with cancer, dealing with chemotherapy and surgery and then has his tractor-trailer, their only means of financial support, stolen. Michelle (nee McFarlane) reports that husband Steve Bryant has had surgery to remove a tumour from his stomach and part of his esophagus and is recovering in hospital. She has started a Go Fund Me page which can be found at www.gofundme.com. You can look up her name or search for “Stage 3 Cancer Medical for Steve.” She’s also started a wish list on Amazon where you can purchase required medical items and replacements for many things that were stolen along with his transport truck. This page can be accessed at: https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1Y0H6LAAZ7DQF Both pages can also be accessed by searching for Michelle on Facebook. She reports that they are making it through with so much kindness from their family and friends. She requests continued prayers and sending good vibes and thoughts.
The Providence Bay Post Office in collaboration with the Mini-Mutchmor hosted their customer appreciation and grand opening on Thursday, December 14 despite the Island-wide unplanned power outage they had a good turnout serving goodies with coffee/tea or hot cider. They continued into Friday with great deals for all.
Everyone’s homes are really starting to look great. If you aren’t in the Christmas spirit yet, try driving around after dark to take in the festive light displays at most local homes.
The Providence Bay History and Memoirs put out by The Providence Bay Spring Bay History Preservation Society are available again. The first 200 copies of the tome were so well received that they discussed and decided to print another 100 copies. Anyone interested in enjoying this interesting read that has clips, bits, tales, pictures and stories can do so by contacting Lyle Dewar at 705-377-4645. The cost is $40 per book and would make an excellent Christmas gift for yourself or anyone else on your list.
We’re a little late on reporting on the Providence Bay Arena information but better late than never. Moms and Tots skating is held every Saturday from 10:30-11:30 am. Free public skating is held every Saturday from 7-9 pm and Sundays from 1-3 pm along with scrimmage following from 3-4 pm. They generally stay open weekdays to accommodate the children home from school over the holidays. We’ll let you know next week if we hear anything about extended hours. To book ice times call 705-377-4090.
The first day of winter will soon be upon us with the winter solstice beginning on December 21 at 11:28 am. This will mark the day with the shortest daylight hours of the year.
Don’t forget to get your tickets for the Providence Bay New Year’s Eve dance. It’s being held Sunday, December 31 from 8 pm – 2 am. Come on out and dance the night away and ring in the new year with your friends and neighbours. Tickets are $15 per person and includes a light lunch. Contact Matt Young for tickets at 705-377-7149. They’ll also be having a silent auction and toonie roll.
We’d like to continue doing community shout-outs in the new year for the Providence Bay News and Notes every couple of weeks. If there is someone that you’d like to give a shout out to, please let us know. And in fact, if you have anything that you would like to contribute, please let us know. We know that there is a lot going on in our community but let’s allow everyone to know. If there is an upcoming birthday, anniversary, fundraiser or celebration, please let us know. You can email Cheryl at prov_chick@hotmail.com or call her at 705-862-1613. Submissions must be received by each Sunday at 3:00 pm for submission in the following Wednesday publication of the paper. We look forward to hearing from you.
