Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
A very happy new year to Kagawongians near and far! We hope 2024 brings you all health and happiness. One of our resolutions this year is to cure our crippling fear of New Years and get over our Auld Langxiety.
The township has a vacant seat on council and they are looking to appoint a new councillor. The public is invited to apply for the position between January 10 and January 31. Full application details can be found on the township website, but here are the basic requirements: interested parties must be 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, a resident of Billings Township (or owner/tenant of land in the township). If you are looking to get involved and make a difference, contact the town office at 705-282-2611 for more information.
We were extremely saddened to hear of Barb Erskine’s passing just before Christmas. You may have crossed paths with Barb as she served on town council, or while she was volunteering within the community as a member of the Library board and the recreation committee. Or perhaps you bid on one of her amazing cakes at a local silent auction. Maybe you played pickup hockey with her or danced along with her at Zumba. Many raised a Split Rail pint with her. She impacted many with her kindness and was a relentless advocate for underserved populations. She will be missed. Friends are invited to gather at the Kagawong Park Centre Saturday, January 13th at 11 am for a memorial service for Barb, followed by a luncheon.
The next township council meeting is January 16, 2024 and will be virtual. The Old Mill Road water system improvements and cost reclaim plan will be on the agenda. Full agenda package and virtual meeting connection details can be found at billingstwp.ca/council-meetings/2024-council-agendas-and-minutes/.
Happy 29th birthday wishes go out to Harrison N. and John F. In honour of your very special day, we went all out and came up with a Birthday Haiku for you:
For your birthday, friend,
We wrote this haiku for you.
Worst present ever.
The weather might be getting colder, but you can get your artistic side all fired up with free online workshops with Manitoulin Island artist and art instructor Helen Siksek (in collaboration with 4elements Living Arts). The series of four online winter workshops are designed to guide you from thinking about art to communicating in a visual language, to creating art of your own. The first workshop is this Saturday, January 13, 2 to 4 pm and will be an introduction to land art with a slide presentation, brainstorming, creative activities and community chat. Contact Helen at helen@4elementslivingarts.org for more information and to register.
Feeling a bit scattered in the new year? The library can help you find peace of mind at its annual puzzle swap! Saturday, January 27, celebrate National Puzzle Month by bringing the jigsaw puzzles of your past to trade for the jigsaw puzzles of your future! This free event is a great fit for newbies as well as puzzle aficionados who like to live on the edge. Mingle with other like-minded puzzle lovers and piece together which puzzle you want to take home with you. We really hope you can fit this into your busy schedule (we know you jig saw what we did there).
Remember that time that person turned 29 years old? Or the time the township celebrated that special event? Want to see if Team Fergmeijer ever doubles up on their puns? Catch up on old times with the complete archive of Team Fergmeijer columns, all the way back to 2015! Check out http://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com to get your fill of puns and haiku.
We are proud to share that even this early in the new year, we have already accomplished two-thirds of our New Year’s resolution to “drink more water!” So far, we’ve managed the “drink more” part. Have a great week!
Barrie Island
Lillian Greenman
Happy New Year, 2024 At Christmastime George and Carolyn Calback had their daughter Joyce and husband Rob Rogers from Burlington for a few days.
Dave and Theresa Carlisle had their daughter Stephanie home for the Christmas holidays and Dave’s mother Jerry on Christmas Day.
Doug and Linda Lane had Angela Wunsch and son Thomas from Drayton a few days after Christmas.
Murray Montgomery had his family Erin and David on Christmas Day.
Natalie and Roger Hayden and family were here after Christmas visiting with their family.
Scott and Enid Runnalls had their daughter Katie from Toronto home at Christmas time. Sandy and Jim Miller from Ottawa, Bill Runnalls from Winnipeg, Manitoba were here visiting family at Christmastime and gathered at Scott and Enid Runnalls for supper on Christmas Day. Also Oliver and Barb Runnalls, two Manitoulin Lodge friends of Barb’s (PSW’s Aliza and Ariana), Cameron Runnalls and Micah, Jordan and Kate Miller from Kagawong and their sons Arie, Isaiah and Eli.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On December 15, I finally wrote my Christmas letter and then spent the weekend getting the long-distance cards written out and ready for mailing on Monday.
Friday night, I took Murray Duncanson and DonnaKay McDonald to euchre in Meldrum Bay. There were eight players and we had a lot of fun.
Shawn Noble went to Ottawa to pick up his daughters, Meghan and Tamara, who spent two weeks with him at the farm, then he drove them back in time for Tamara to celebrate her 20th birthday with her friends.
Monday morning, I went to Gore Bay. Part way there, I noticed that the side mirror was twisted around. I pulled over and fixed it. That was when I realized that it was smashed and that someone had driven their vehicle down the side of our car. After I got home from doing my errands, I called the OPP who sent two officers to take the report and lots of pictures. Next, I filled out the insurance claim online form.
Monday afternoon, there was chair yoga at the Silver Water Community Hall.
Tuesday, December 19, I drove to Peterborough to pick up my niece, Larissa Chevrette. Her brother, Colton Chevrette, went with me. He did a great job directing me. He had a good laugh when the OPP pulled me over before we got to Little Current. She pointed out that my licence plate sticker was expired. Our next stop was Services Ontario in Espanola to get it renewed. Once we turned east past Parry Sound, we were surprised to see snow and roads that were partly covered with it.
Wednesday, December 20, the three of us and Salem the dog drove back home. It was a long trip, but the weather was perfect and the traffic was sparse.
Thursday, there was euchre at the Silver Water Community Hall.
Saturday, December 23 the recycle bins were open in the afternoon.
Sunday, December 24, after church, Murray and Gladys Duncanson went to Espanola to their sons, Blake, to spend Christmas with his family.
Debbie Addison Brawn returned to her Dad, Arthur Addison, late on Sunday night after a few weeks in Southern Ontario.
Christmas Day, we invited Anne Boyd for supper and to help us complete a jigsaw puzzle of Santa and his sleigh.
Sunday, after church, Murray and Gladys Duncanson went to Espanola to their son, Blake, to spend Christmas with his family. Sunday, after church, Murray and Gladys Duncanson went to Espanola to their sons, Blakes, to spend Christmas with his family.
Clarke, Heather, Ethan and Aiden Duncanson arrived on December 27 to spend a few days with his parents, Murray and Gladys Duncanson.
Congratulations to grandmother, Diane Jones, and parents, Mike and Amanda Vanderform, on the birth of Bear Dawson on December 29th, in Sudbury. He weighed less than five pounds. He spent a few days in the hospital but is now home.
There was a well-attended New Year’s Eve party at the hall starting with a potluck supper.
Larissa spent the day with me on January 4. We did the errands in Gore Bay, attended the UCW meeting in the afternoon at St Andrew’s United Church, made brownies before supper, and then went to euchre at the hall. Neither of us was in the running for any prize, but Shawn had the high score for the night. There were 14 players.
Happy Birthday to Albert Meijer on January 3.
Happy 40th Birthday to Chip Tomisch on January 9.
Condolences to the family of David King. Condolences to the family of Mary Coburn. Condolences to the family of Kathy Robbie.
