Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your Friendly Fly! And Flys.
Base hits, Black Flies and Eagle’son’.
That’s what everyone is on about now as baseball, flailing around swatting bugs and festival season is in full throw. Quite a spectacle, playing sports while trying not to get bitten or inhale “surprise” protein pests. Bravo to all our senior and junior athletes taking one or a hundred or so bites for the team, you are all champions! We must continue to keep our game faces on as we transition into summer and the more steadfast days of summer sun, fun and visiting friends and neighbours. Continue planning and planting those lovely gardens, our Island-wide tide of hyacinths, daffodils, tulips against the blooming and blossoming trees, long and winding country roads and lingering sunsets colour reveal and lovingly etch landscapes and poetry into our minds and hearts once more. Natural and noteworthy these lovelies nestle well into the corner pockets of most gardens. Lemongrass, lemon balm, bay leaves, geranium, marigolds, alliums, catnip, chrysanthemums lavender, rosemary, sage, oregano, basil and mint. Remarkably resilient, these boast bug deterring beautiful fragrances. Robins bathing riverside remind us to keep bird baths and bee water stations filled to keep the balance. Perhaps you received some new garden gifts for Mother’s Day? All of those treasures and trinkets are what make our Townships, homes and gardens unique and welcoming. These are the places where we celebrate life with friends, family and loved ones. Where we remember the people closest to our heart and cherish moments and memories of old and new. I hope May brings wonderful one’s for you.
A lot of folks have returned to Providence Bay from down south and from other important trips. Wendy and Wally Friesen, Jackie Patterson, Chris Bryan, Lance and a few other locals have returned from their travels and are ready to get down to it in time for the busy open season to begin! Welcome back everyone!
Here’s What’s Happening:
Providence Bay Arena: Youth soccer continues Saturdays 10 to 11 am (weather permitting). Providence Bay and Spring Bay Recreation Committee coaches are looking for parent volunteers this weekend and next soccer families can respond to coaches via email and check for the upcoming practice and Providence Bay Soccer Club tourney schedule.
Providence Bay Fair Grounds: Exciting announcement for musical performance by CCMA Entertainer of the Year Jade Eagleson Saturday, August 17 contact Providence Bay Agricultural Society for more information.
Providence Bay Hall: Lions Club meeting Wednesday, May 15 at 7 pm in the lower hall. Exercise class continues Friday morning May 17 at 10:30 am
Spring Bay Hall: Yoga continues Wednesday, May 15 at 6:15 pm.
Mindemoya Hall: Taekwon-do continues Wednesday, May 15 at 6 pm.
Family Wellness Night and barbeque dinner at Central Manitoulin Public School on Thursday, May 16 from 5 to 8 pm in Mindemoya.
Island Quilters Guild Meeting on Thursday, May 16.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church:
Sunday, May 19, 10:30 am meeting, 11 am service.
The Heavens: Eta Aquarid meteor shower continues to be active in the early twilight morning hours until May 27. Comet chasers and imagers will delight in the Comet 13P/Olbers diatomic carbon-green halo as Olbers courses past the hydrogen-red tadpoles of IC 410 from May 16 to the 18. The waxing moon will be visible on clear nights and will be full on May 23rd. This orange full moon is also known as the “corn llanting moon” or “flower moon.
Providence Bay beach and boardwalk: The ice cream is cold, the coffee is hot, bathrooms and change rooms are open at the beach, ready or not!
May 15 is Happy International Day of Families. Bring flowers to someone Day, Straw Hat Day, National Chocolate Chip Day, Dinosaur Day and Slushy Day!
“You can’t hit a home run unless you step up to the plate.” – Theodore Roosevelt.
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
Our faithful readers will know that long weekending is Team Fergmeijer’s favourite sport. Usually, our Saturdays and Sundays are spent with our bodies fighting off illnesses (what with our weekend immune systems and all), but a long weekend means extra time that we can jam-pack with all the things we love. Starting with a nap or two. Yep, long weekends mean less multi-tasking and more multi-slacking!
This weekend! Manitoulin Streams Outdoor Angling Trade Fair is right here in Billings, on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, 19. This event will be more than just a trade fair, it will include food, music, games an auction and a fishing derby. Whether you are a business owner, an angler, a tourist, or a local, the Trade Fair is the place to be this May long weekend! There is something for everyone, including the kids! Check out the Manitoulin Streams website for more information (www.manitoulinstreams.com).
Welcome to Veronique Dion, the new chief administrative officer/clerk for Billings Township! We look forward to meeting you. And if you need any official puns for any reason, you know who to call.
It must really be spring because the Chi-Cheemaun is back in action! You can check out the sailing schedule on the Owen Sound Transportation Company website: www.ontarioferries.com/ms-chi-cheemaun/, or in Manitoulin’s Magazine, found in local businesses, campgrounds and tourism information locations across the Island.
The museum has launched a new program to honour veterans who lived in Billings Township. Families of veterans are invited to contribute towards the purchasing of a banner that will feature their loved one’s name, photo and regiment. Banners will be displayed throughout the village in the fall lead up to Remembrance Day. Contact the museum (oldmillheritage@billingstwp.ca) for more information. And don’t forget that the museum will be open this weekend 10 am to 5 pm (Friday-Sunday).
With all this sunny weather, things are definitely heating up! Kagawong is becoming quite the hot spot as well. Check out all the activities going on in Billings over the coming months: Team Aelick are gearing up for their Stroll for Liver in early June. Visit https://bit.ly/strollforliver to donate to this worthy cause. The Jabbawong Storytelling Festival is July 5 and 6. The library book sale and local author showcase will be held July 20 and the Manitoulin Art Tour is on that same weekend. And don’t forget about Kagawong’s huge market on Wednesdays throughout the summer! If you have (or know of) any other events and activities, let us know so we can let everyone else know! Email us at fergmeijer@gmail.com.
Happy birthday wishes go out to Leslie M, who is turning 29 this week. You might be expecting us to make a funny joke here, but we know better. We respect our elders.
We don’t normally include personal or want ads in the community column, but this one was sent into us and just seemed like too good of an opportunity to miss. Anyone interested can email us at fergmeijer@gmail.com: “Is anybody interested in a free ride in a helicopter for four people? I’m still looking for two more adults to join me and my wife. We leave early Saturday morning from Sudbury and will fly to Toronto, where we will have breakfast and then have lunch on a friend’s yacht. We will then do a flight down to view Niagara Falls, returning to Toronto for dinner, then fly back home. If interested, please message me. Preferably someone with a helicopter and yacht, otherwise we can’t go.”
The Manitoulin Tennis Club is back in action for 2024! Players of all abilities are welcome to join in the club’s season kickoff with the Blackfly Tournament on Saturday, May 18. Though this is a doubles’ tournament, no partner is required, and there is no registration fee. But watch out… you might just get bit by the tennis bug! For more information, contact ctheijsmeijer@gmail.com.
Whether you choose to get out and explore, or stay home and appreciate that mortgage, make the most of your May long weekend. Have a great week!
Barrie Island
Lillian Greenman
Natalie and Roger Hayden from Lively were over on the weekend and visited Lance and Lillian Greenman. Also, Krystan Hayden joined us for supper on Saturday.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
Friday, May 3, Albert and I went to Gore Bay in the morning to pick up the dinner rolls and cabbage salad ingredients for Saturday’s fish supper. We went to The Watersedge for lunch with a few other west end residents. In the afternoon, Gladys Duncanson, Albert and I made cabbage salad. Friday evening, we went to Meldrum Bay to play euchre.
Saturday was a busy day at the Silver Water Community Hall. There was a great crew in the morning to set up the dining room and get the potatoes ready for roasting. Saturday evening, there were 217 people paid to enjoy a fish dinner. The Snowdusters raised over $3,000. Thank you to everyone who came out to eat and to all the volunteers that worked to make it a success.
Sunday, May 5, we went to play at the euchre tournament in Tehkummah. There were 12 tables of players. Rose Van Every and Shawn Noble brought third prize to the West End.
There was an 80th birthday party for Doreen Duncanson at her home in Mindemoya on May 7.
Keith Duncanson was here from Ottawa to work at the dinner and to visit his parents, Ken and Doreen.
Brenda Carter returned from her trip to southern Ontario on May 9. She had taken Shelley Cull back to Toronto after she was here to visit her mother, Ardith, for a few weeks.
Craig Duncanson arrived at his parents’ home on Thursday. He was helping Murray with the stove wood for next winter. Craig was taking Murray and Gladys to visit his brother, Clarke and family for Mother’s Day weekend, leaving on Friday morning.
Thursday night, there were eight tables of euchre players at the Silver Water Hall. Congratulations to Paul Sorbara who won the money jar.
We sold our older Arctic Cat ATV to my brother this week.
May 18 there will be a committal service for Arthur Addison at 11 am at the Silver Lake Cemetery with a barbecue at Arthur’s house afterwards. Arthur’s family invites everyone.
On May 18 in Meldrum Bay, the annual ATV run will take place. There will be stew and chili lunch for sale for everyone even if you are not participating in the run.
May 25 Norm Morrell has an auction in Ice Lake.
On May 25 there will be a ham and scalloped potato dinner at the Silver Water Community Hall for $20 per person.
Happy 60th anniversary to Murray and Gladys Duncanson on May 30.
Condolences to the family of Willie Munro.
