Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
Winter seems to have settled on us for good finally. This time of year we try to watch the weather channel to know what is coming up, and it’s not pretty next week. It’s calling for rane, hale, thundre, litnin and frizzing cold. We are really not looking forward to that bad spell of weather. On top of the cold, wet weather, Team Fergmeijer has had some bad luck lately. One half caught a nasty cold from someone at work and has been really sick all week. The second half swallowed a dictionary and now has thesaurus throat she’s ever had. The third half dropped a large box of fruit on his foot this morning. Now he cranberry walk.
The Billings Library Silent Auction is over for another year. Over $4,000 was raised! Those funds keep the book budget healthy and the library late-fee free! Reminder that any items won in the library silent auction can be picked up at the library during regular hours (Tuesdays and Thursdays 4 to 7 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm). Email billingsreads@gmail.com or call 705-282-2944 for more information.
Let the township know your thoughts! Complete the Strategic Plan Resident/Property Owner Survey by December 15 to give input on what the township gets right, what you’d like to see developed, and where improvements can be made. The online survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP
Happy birthday to Laurie Z., Rob B., and Katherine T who are all celebrating their 29th trip around the sun. Don’t forget to smile uncomfortably when your friends and family stare at you and sing Happy Birthday!
The township has decided to move council meetings back to being virtual. The public can still watch the proceedings. Contact the town office (tmills@billingstwp.ca) for Zoom meeting information and more information on how to have your voice heard during council meetings.
Last weekend saw a healthy turnout to the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert. Despite some acts having to downsize or cancel due to illness, there was plenty of talent (and quasi-talent) to go around! Thanks to everyone who came out as well as everyone who performed.
Citizens with property on the water system are invited to a special council meeting on Tuesday, December 12 to discuss the upgrades that were recently completed on Old Mill Road. The meeting will discuss cost recovery options for the work done including consideration of a Capital Cost Recovery By-Law under the fees and charges provisions of the Municipal Act. The meeting is at the Park Centre and will begin at 7 pm. Delegations wishing to speak at the meeting must contact the town clerk for a delegation request form (edance@billingstwp.ca). The form must be returned to the office by Wednesday December 6 in order to be placed on the agenda. Written comments and opinions must also be submitted to the clerk by the December 6 deadline to be placed on the agenda. The meeting will also be live-streamed over Zoom. Contact the town office for details.
Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 25 through to January 1. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24 and 26 as well as December 31, and the Library will be closed December 23 and 30.
Attention all artists, writers, crafters, potters, artisans, creatives, makers (and their friends and families) – come out to the Manitoulin Arts Community Potluck and Holiday Social on December 29 at the Kagawong Park Centre. Doors open at 4:30 pm, arts announcements at 5:30 pm (share your latest news!).
This week we leave you with some advice from a pickle: Life can be hard sometimes; dill with it. Relish every moment you have with those you love. The door to happiness is always ajar. Remember that life is never a dill moment, but don’t worry – in the end everything will be just brine. Have a great week!
Barrie Island
Lillian Greenman
JoeAnn Lewis, daughter Angela her husband Darryl Wunsch and their sons Brendan and Thomas were here last week for hunting.
Doug Lane had his son Cameron and friend James here for hunting last week also Keith Rastin, Charlie and Rhonda Smith.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
I took DonnaKay McDonald, Myra Duncanson and Lois Wismer to euchre in Meldrum Bay on Friday, November 17. There was a very good crowd with the hunters out to play. On the ride home, I could feel a sore throat developing.
Gladys Duncanson left on Saturday morning to spend most of the week with Jean Steeves.
Saturday, I spent the day on the couch sleeping. Albert Meijer cooked the 60 pounds of sausages for the pancake breakfast on Sunday.
Sunday morning, we held the breakfast with proceeds to the Mindemoya Hospital. Thank you to all the people who came out to eat and work. Most of the workers wore their masks. The UCW raised a lot of money through a bake sale for the United Church Mission and Service Fund. There were also donations made to the robotics team at Manitoulin Secondary School.
Louise Duke had pictures of a 13-point buck she got last Friday.
There was chair yoga at the Silver Water Community Hall on Monday afternoon.
Euchre in Burpee was cancelled on Monday night. Their community was setting up for a spaghetti dinner on Tuesday night.
Joe Addison’s hunters came out of the bush on Monday with a spike buck.
Albert’s head cold started on Wednesday.
Brenda Carter, Lynn Pickard and Diane Jones went to Little Current on Wednesday. They took the food handling safety course and all passed.
Sara-Lyn Arnot is done being a vendor at the Royal Winter Fair. She arrived in Peterborough earlier in the week and will visit her family before heading home next week.
I have been sick all week. My apologies to anyone that may have gotten this from me.
The next UCW meeting is the Christmas meeting which starts at 12 noon on December 7 with a potluck lunch. All West End ladies are welcome. Collection boxes for nonperishable food will be out.
Condolences to the family of Jack Colwell. Condolences to the family of Lewis Lanktree.
The recycling bins were open on Saturday, November 25. Thanks to all the hunt camps that donated their liquor containers and pop cans.
Fire practice was held on Tuesday, November 28. There were 14 guys in attendance.
The Local Services Board held their budget meeting on November 29 at 7 pm at the Silver Water Community Hall. Three hours later, the budget was approved with an increase of $10 per property billed.
Albert Meijer and I went to Gore Bay on Thursday to do errands. That was the first I had been to town in two weeks.
There were 18 players out to euchre on Thursday night.
Happy 37th birthday to Kate Duncanson on December 1.
Get well wishes to Elaine Bradley.
