Friends and Neighbours

Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer

When is a carpenter with a 2×4 like a poem? When he’s a sawin’ it. Speaking of forms of poetry, we are excited to launch our third annual ‘Short Poems for a Short Month’ challenge! Help brighten up the short winter days of Kagawongians near and far by submitting your short form poetry for this column. Your effort should be short (think haikus, rhyming couplets, limericks, Cinquain). Email it to fergmeijer@gmail.com to participate. Sadly this challenge does not have a cash prize, because everyone knows that rhyme doesn’t pay.
The community rink is officially open for business! We are so grateful to all the volunteers who put so much time and effort into making and maintaining the ice surface. Please take care to store any equipment off the ice when you are done and make sure the lights are turned off before you leave, if using it after dark. 
The next stage in the Billings Township strategic plan is well underway. Join township staff and consultants from Capital Park Consulting for a special Town Hall meeting tomorrow (Thursday, February 1) at the Kagawong Park Centre. Identical information will be shared at two sessions that day, which will also provide opportunities for community members to share their vision for the future of the township: session one will be from 2 to 4 pm and session two will be from 6 to 8 pm. All citizens of Billings are welcome to attend. Questions may be directed to Emily Dance, Billings CAO/Clerk, at edance@billingstwp.ca.
Attention all youth! Want to come work in the best village on the Island? Kagawong summer student position applications are now open for two marina assistants, one public works assistant, one museum assistant and one library assistant. Check out the township website for more details (http://billingstwp.ca) but don’t dilly-dally… applications will only be accepted until Friday, February 16. For more information, contact Tiana at the township office, at tmills@billingstwp.ca. 
Did you hear about the two antennas that met on a roof, fell in love, and got married? The ceremony wasn’t much, but the reception was excellent.
Be our guest! The Manitoulin Secondary School Musical Theatre Program cordially invites you to their 2024 production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. With singing and dancing galore, all accompanied by a live band, it is an upbeat show perfect for the entire family. Performances run Friday February 16 at 7 pm and Saturday February 17 at 2pm, as well as the following weekend, Friday February 23 at 7 pm and Saturday February 24 at 2 pm. Tickets are $20, $15 for youth under 12 and can be purchased online at bit.ly/MSSmusical or at participating pharmacies across Manitoulin.
Happy birthday Doug C who is celebrating his 29th birthday. We wish a year that is more Corvette than Pinto for you. Also celebrating is Gabe H. You aren’t quite turning 29 but we wish you much cake, ice cream and presents anyway!
Baha’i children’s classes each Sunday from 1 to 3 pm at the Park Centre. Youth ages 8 to 10 are welcome to participate in prayer and meditation, art and music activities. Organizers also provide a healthy snack! Contact Ina Swain (705-282-3498) for more information. 
What’s a Grecian urn? About 20,000 drachmas a year after taxes. Have a great week!

Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley

Hi everyone. So after our deep freeze, we are back into a warmer spell. I know, it will not last.
Winter has its own attractions, snowmobiling, ice fishing, snow shoeing and skiing. A friend of ours took a short holiday to Parry Sound. This sounds a bit like a travelogue, but the place that was visited was Killbear  Provincial Park, with cross country ski trails and snow shoe trails. I was told that there was no one else there except for the park rangers, the trails were well groomed and it was beautiful.
Others are back from holidays and it so good to visit with them. John and Patti are showing off pictures of a new grandson. Congratulations. He’s beautiful.
Two weeks ago we cancelled cards due to the storm. Just like everyone else we got a lot of snow and hunkered down and waited it out till the roads were clear again. It did not seem to last that long.
Last Friday, January 19 at cards there were three tables; high lady was Brenda Carter with 66 points; high man was Harold Rogers with 67 points; ladies’ lone hand was won by Myra Duncanson with five; men’s lone hands went to Donna Kay McDonald with nine; the juice was won by Rose Van Every; the money jar is safe for another week.

Barrie Island
Lillian Greenman

Enid Runnalls spent last week in Toronto visiting daughter Katie and friends in Scarborough and St. Catherines and Carolyn Lane-Rock in Sudbury.
Darlene Orford visited George and Carolyn Calback last week.

Silver Water
Karen Noble

Friday, January 19 was euchre in Meldrum Bay. There were three tables.
On Saturday, Myra Duncanson and I went to M’Chigeeng to play in their euchre tournament.
Monday, there was line dancing at the Silver Water Community Hall in the evening.
Monday evening, six of us went to euchre at the Burpee Mills Complex.
Tuesday, chair yoga was held at the hall in the afternoon. Fire practice was held on Tuesday evening.
We had Anne Boyd over for supper for her birthday on Wednesday.
Thursday evening, there were 22 euchre players out to the Silver Water Hall.
I had a visit with Alfreda Wickett on the phone this week.
Condolences to the family of Elwood Lewis.