Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Hello Providence Bay! Alexia here with your Friendly Fly, Butterflies and Buzzing Bees. There is a hum in the air, can you feel it? No it’s not the busy Emcom street sweepers. It’s nature at its finest hour! The hills are alive with the sounds of Spring! So, what does that mean for all of us here in Prov? It means we dust ourselves and get down to business in anticipation of the busy months ahead. Did anyone see that Youtube drone footage of the Russian Laika dog running with the bears? It made me think of all of us here down by the bay and I wondered what would things look like from a bird’s eye view if we could see the big picture and story unfolding and unfurling in its entirety? We would see foxes, bobcats, deer, horse and steer, frogs, snakes, turtles and fish, eagles, crows, blue jays, cedar waxwings, warblers, cardinals, chickadees and pileated and meriweather woodpeckers, mourning doves, grackles and geese, tortoiseshell butterflies, and bumblebees and all of our friends and neighbours! All of us building, tinkering, toiling, boiling, chopping, cropping, clearing, digging, labelling, jarring, measuring and planting and painting and potting weeding; weather proofing and picking up permits; safeguarding and prepping our pets and livestock; putting away winter gear and searching tirelessly for our long-lost summer sports and leisure gear, water inflatables, lawn chairs and our favourite gardening crocs and hats. We would see Ravi and his red hat getting ready for guests. We would see Elwood and his colourful lawn tires unloading his cargo hauls. We would see Trevor trimming and mowing the church lawn and crafting his beautiful woodwork and pieces. We would see Matt getting his storefront repairs done and ready. We would see Animal setting up his place for family visits and detailing his Chevy. We would see Linda playing with her grandkids and Rosa barking at the skunks. We would see Chayton and his brother throwing a frisbee disk around and Rigby getting Belly rubs. We would see Ceilidh and Mya laughing fireside at Meemaw Wendy’s tossing peanuts at the chipmunks. We would see Jackie laughing at Bo chasing birds by the boardwalk. We would see Brooklyn smiling with delight remembering her fun birthday road trip to Sudbury with friends. We would see the ballfield and fairgrounds getting cleaned-up and turned over for the season. The street sweepers sweeping, landowners clear cutting and pruning, compost heaping and yard brush burning, restaurateurs cleaning and taking inventory, boaters and anglers checking gear and prepping for moorage, listening for marine reports, fair and festival organizers planning their work and working their plan. Artisans, crafters, quilters, musicians and elders wearing, weaving, welding, whittling, whistling melodies while warbling masterpieces. Things are just as they should be mid-April, before the rush of open season. Remember to take a minute, come up for air and just breathe and enjoy the peace and blessings that are all around us in our beautiful township of Providence Bay! Hats off to the Northern Ontario Country Music Awards Great Northern Opry inductee Carole Gilmore. We can’t wait to celebrate with you at the Providence Bay Hall in June. Honour salute to PC Marie Ford thank you for your years of service and dedication we wish you all the best for a happy retirement. Happy Earth Day and National Parks Week Everyone!
“Winter’s done, and April’s in the skies. Earth look-up with laughter in your eyes!” Charles G.D. Roberts
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
Turns out today is International Bat Appreciation Day! Just bat-tween us, Team Fergmeijer loves watching them flit around at dusk, doing their acro-bat-ics. We imagine they would be pretty good if they played bat-minton. Except bats don’t really know about it; they like to be kept in the dark about most things. Now, don’t give us any bat-itude; just because we are kind of winging it with these puns, doesn’t mean they aren’t fang-tastc.
Another splash of colour has been added near the Kagawong rainbow cabanas! Sic Sox is a new program which will help divert textile waste (i.e. clothing) from Island landfills. Got bedding, curtains, clothes, or other fabrics that you don’t want any more? Drop them into the lavender deposit boxes near the Kagawong Park Centre. If what you drop off is still in good shape, it will be re-sold at the Sic Sox retail store. Other textiles that would otherwise be garbage are recycled into insulation. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for the environment!
Rumour has it that the one and only Carol L is celebrating a birthday this week. Although we are sure she is turning 29, rumour has it she is old enough to remember bell bottoms and love beads. Either way, we wish her a very hippie birthday.
We’re back to summer hours at the Billings Landfill! Stop by to say hi to Denis (and drop off your sorted garbage and recycling) Tuesdays and Thursdays 2 pm to 6 pm and weekends 10 am to 4 pm.
It’s time to get your green on! In an early celebration of Earth Day, there is a full day of activities planned in Kagawong on Saturday, April 20, brought to you by the Billings Climate Action Committee and Manitoulin Streams. All morning long, join community members in picking up garbage around Billings Township. Before 12 noon, bring it by the Park Centre for sorting into garbage and recyclables so waste can be properly diverted (bonus points if you bring it pre-sorted!). From 9 am to 3 pm, bring some previously used treasures to sell at the “junk in the trunk” community yard sale! Pop open your trunk or spread out into the covered rink, limited tables under the roof will be provided. For the younger environmentalists, children’s activities will be happening downstairs in the Park Centre from 10 am to 12 noon hosted by the Billings Parks, Recreation and Wellness committee. And don’t forget about the vendor displays on green technologies, happening upstairs in the Park Centre, with possible presentations around 1 pm.
That same weekend, join The Island Singers as they celebrate their 60th anniversary! On Saturday, April 20 at 2 pm, at Manitoulin Secondary School, current and past members of the choir will be presenting a concert of classics and modern favourites. Tickets are $20 and available at the door. Visit “The Island Singers – Manitoulin Island” on Facebook for more information.
Come out to Life on a Farm, a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Gore Bay on Saturday, April 26 being held at the Gore Bay community hall. Enjoy an evening of song and poetry with Vernon Bailey and John McCleneghan, featuring the poetry of Charlie Smith of Massey. Tickets are $25 and are available at Central Pharmacy and at the door.
Save the date! Manitoulin Streams is hosting an outdoor angling trade fair right here in Kagawong! More details on the May long weekend event will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information, check out manitoulinstreams.com, or contact anglingtf.manitoulin@gmail.com, or 613-857-9877.
What is a bat’s favourite dessert? Upside down cake. Have a great week!
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
There was a very good article in The Expositor about our lighthouse information meeting that was held in the Meldrum Bay Community Hall. The attendance was very encouraging as well as the number of interested people who signed up as potential volunteers if needed.
It was the first Sunday of the month and Meldrum Bay United Church was open at 9:15 am for a service. Janice Frame is back from her sabbatical, and it was nice to have her back.
The muffins and coffee after the service were delicious.
Weekly services will start again in May. Peggy is back from visiting family in southern Ontario and her baking as well as Diane’s baking were really appreciated.
Rose Van Every has returned from her Easter visit with family. Her grandson is getting married and there were tickets sold on a variety of items as a fundraiser. I signed up for a Yeti cooler as I have always liked the brand but have never been able to afford one. To my surprise I won. It was full of liquor, but my husband and I do not drink alcohol. I asked Rose to distribute the booze for us to someone who would appreciate it more than we would. I seldom win anything, and it was such a surprise to win this contest. Another winner in the same draw was Mildred Kelly; she won a batch of lottery tickets. We wish you the best of luck, Mildred.
Jamie and Norma are also back home from a visit to the grandchildren plus a trip to Belgium to visit a friend there and enjoy the sights. They brought back Belgian chocolate for us and some very tender, very sweet dates, thanks.
The spring peepers are starting up and it is joy to listen to them. I think spring may finally be here.
Friday night at cards, April 5, there were three tables plus one sit out. High lady was Myra Duncanson with 72 points; high man was Lisa Townsend with 73 points; ladies’ lone hands were won by Diane Jones with four; men’s lone hands were won by Karen Noble with six; most euchres went to Doug Clark with six; Lois Wismer brought home the juice; the 50/50 draw was won by Donna K McDonald; the money jar is safe for another week; the special prize went to Harold Rogers.
