PROVIDENCE BAY — Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your friendly barn fly. Harvest Glory Days countdown is on! We have put our scarecrow family and giant crows out front and I am happy to report they have to date, survived a few thunder storms. In fact this morning I woke to the sound of my daughter coughing and of a couple of live crows on my lawn vocalizing and “cawing” at my not-scared crows. If they are crow worthy, then that’s good enough for me. I can’t wait to see what everyone does this year. Let’s get our creative spirit in high gear and decorate the daylights out of every corner, block, sign, landmark and lawn with your hay bales and hawberry harvest people. Decorate to win either the small community or large community spirit award sign! You can be your community’s champion by coordinating citizens, businesses, local governments and public institutions. So, start planning to decorate your corner of beautiful Manitoulin in the Harvest Glory Days Theme! The more corners that are decorated, the more Island pride there is for visitors to see! For any further information, please contact The Expositor Office by email at services@manitoulin.com or call 705-368-2744. This event is organized as a public service by The Manitoulin Expositor. Judging will take place the week before Thanksgiving. Deadline for entries is October 4. As we enter the season of gratitude and giving we count our blessings big and small, enjoy the bounty of our harvests and enjoy the gift of making holiday memories with family, community and friends.
Here’s what’s happening:
Providence Bay Arena and Fairgrounds: Family Rec Nite continues Friday night from 7 to 9 pm through September. Drop-in and join the fun! Drop in to play pickleball, badminton, basketball, cornhole, ping pong and air hockey with friends, family and neighbours.
Fall Market: Central Manitoulin Markets invites you to the Fall Market at the Providence Bay Arena on Saturday, October 19 from 10 am to 3 pm. Over 60 vendors all under one roof! Will be awesome!
Providence Bay Hall: Exercise class on Fridays, adults age 55+, 10:30 to 11:30 am. September 20 start, it is a 12-week program. For information contact Alison at 705-377-5726 or by email, asloss@centralmanitoulin.ca.
Manitoulin Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Program continues for youth and teens ages 12 to 18 on Mondays from 6:15 to 9 pm at Manitoulin Secondary. For more information and to register visit: 348sea@cadets.gc.ca.
Spring Bay Hall: Yoga continues at the Spring Bay Hall on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:15 pm.
Spring Bay/Providence Bay Lions Club is hosting the Lions Club Golf Tournament and Fundraiser, 50-50 draw, silent auction, contests and prizes! Dinner, golf and fun all for a great cause. It is Saturday, September 21 at the Brookwood Brae Golf Course (tee-off at 8:30 am) for more information contact chris_bryan84@outlook.com or 705-348-0493. Good Luck to all the teams – have fun!
Lions Bottle Drive: Drop off your empties next to the arena for a good cause, this helps keep our township clean and helps us give back to the community.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church: Sunday Service at 10:30 am. Youth Group Meet Ups Wednesdays at 6 pm as of Wednesday, September 18.
Providence Bay Curling Club: Interested in learning about ice maintenance? Visit https://curlinginontario.ca and sign up for the Ice Tech Assistant Course on Saturday, October 26 from 8 am to 4 pm at the Espanola Curling Club.
The Heavens: Yesterday’s full harvest supermoon ushers in the autumn equinox of September 22. Equinox marks the start of the fall season in the Northern Hemisphere. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will reach perihelion-and visit the inner Solar System, it’s closest to the Sun at 36 million miles (58m Kms) on Friday, September 27 followed by its closest approach to Earth on Saturday, October 12. So, keep your eye to the sky.
Providence Bay Boardwalk and Discovery Centre: Huron Island Time will remain open through the early fall season. Be sure to drop by for a smoothie, ice cream, sweet and savoury food and Island souvenirs! Stroll along the beach and boardwalk, enjoy the spectacular views along Lake Huron and the Mindemoya River. Lake Huron Fish and Chips and Co. had an epic and super busy season, way to go Matt and crew. Thanks for all the great food and good company! The Mutchmor Peace Café is open Friday/Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm all September! Congratulations on another busy and fun filled season of exhibits and gallery events. Be sure to grab a selfie in front of the Bear and Owl Mural by Shalak Attack, her sister Fiya Bruxa and Bruno Smoky across from the town Square.
Providence Bay Tent and Trailer Park, yes! They’re still open until mid-October to boot. Check out their on-site store for sundry items, pharmacy must haves and more or just pop over 5466 Hwy 551 for a selfie in front of Maxim’s butterfly and mural. Don’t forget to hashtag your mural photos “#iheartprovbaypark” and tag the Artist @maximgruninart.
Mentions: Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchal and Shonagh Payette and family; to Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan and Ashley Corbiere and family; Happy Birthday wishes to Wally Friesen, Morgen McDermid, Kathy Warner, Josey and to all you wonderful September babies. Remembering Mona Bryan with love in our hearts.
Reminders: Looking for cool costumes for Halloween and Harvest Glory Days Scarecrows? Check out Treasures in Mindemoya, local yard sales, Facebook Marketplace or the Providence Bay Transfer Station at 4077 Government Road. Hours: Thursday and Saturday 1 to 5 pm (September long weekend to May long weekend).
When the shadows lengthen
And burn away the past
They will fly me like an angel to
A place where I can rest
When this begins I’ll let you in
September when it comes
Songwriters: Rosanne Cash / John B. Leventhal
September When It Comes lyrics Chelcait Music
KAGAWONG — Team Fergmeijer
Sometimes even notable luminaries like yours truly can start to feel overwhelmed with all the stuff coming at us in the modern world. We find the big issue with stuff is that so much of it happens so often. And don’t even get us started on things. Seriously, history is just one thing after another. Of course, some people will claim it is issues and sometimes even events that are the things you should be worried about. As well, there’s a whole school of thought that it’s really just the circumstances that you have to watch out for. And just when you think you have a handle on all of that, poof! Up pops a decision. It’s a lot.
Flutter on into Kagawong this weekend for NorthWords and 4e’s Elemental Festival – there is fun for the whole family! Friday has workshops in the afternoon for adults and kids, and in the evening the popular ‘Book & Brew’ is back at Split Rail Brewery in Gore Bay. Enjoy live music, complimentary snacks, purchase a drink (including non-alcoholic options), and get up close and personal with featured authors Coltrane Seesequasis, Mike Strobel, and poet Vera Constantineau. Book & Brew tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at Billings Library or at the door.
Carol Pasternak, the “Monarch Crusader”, is this year’s festival keynote speaker (Saturday at 1 pm). She has authored multiple books on the iconic local pollinators. Saturday also has workshops galore with family-friendly sessions in the morning (including children’s author Sahar Golshan), and author-led writing workshops for adults in the afternoon. Saturday evening, come out to experience Melody Johnson’s dramatic reading of her fantastic show, “Person of Interest” (admission by donation). Check out the festival ad in this edition of the Expositor for full details of all events, as well as online (Fb.com/NorthWordsFest and Facebook.com/4eelementalfestival), or you can email NorthWordsFest@gmail.com for more information. Pre-registration for workshops is recommended but not required.
The library has officially returned to its regular ‘winter’ hours (Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 7 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm).
The landfill continues with its summer hours until the end of October (Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 6 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm).
Big congratulations go out to Billings’ own Sophie Anne Edwards, whose soon-to-be published book, “Conversations With the Kagawong River” is on the CBC list of most anticipated poetry collections! Well done, and we can’t wait to pick up a copy in October!
Do you have a friend or family member you would like to honour (or embarrass) with a mention in the column? Birthday coming up? Anniversary? Birth announcement? New power tool to celebrate? Got out of the grocery store with only the things on their list? Reach out to fergmeijer@gmail.com and we will make sure they feel extra special.
Did you know? You can catch up on all past Team Fergmeijer columns at http://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com/. That’s right – all the punfoolery in one spot.
A wise person once said, laugh and the whole world laughs with you. Here at Team Fergmeijer, we tend to go with something like, cackle like a mad swamp witch and people back away slowly. Either way, have a great week!
BARRIE ISLAND — Enid Runnalls
Hello from beautiful Barrie Island!
There is a little free library box at the corner of East Line Road and 5th Side Road. It was built and installed by Sandy and Jim Miller, the box is filled with books for you to take home and read! And if you have a book that you don’t mind donating, please just leave it in the box. Currently there are books by popular authors such as, Clive Cussler, Friederich Bachman, Alexander McCall Smith, F Scott Fitzgerald, etc.
Also, a very sweet little stray cat has been visiting the cottages on Runnalls Crescent all summer. It is a medium haired grey tabby with white markings on its face and chest. The adorable kitty needs a home soon before winter and we were wondering if anyone knows to whom it belongs or even if there is someone out there who would like to adopt it. Please contact me on FaceBook messenger for more details.
This week we had a few visitors: Shirley McAllister and her daughter Janet of Bayfield and London visited at the home of Barb and Oliver Runnalls. Shirley and her late husband Ian are University of Guelph classmates of Barb and Oliver, they shared many happy memories.
Christine Brunt of Waterloo was on the Island visiting with Scott and Enid Runnalls. Also, earlier this summer they hosted Helen Scott for a few days.
Sandy and Jim Miller entertained Viv and Ron Hanson of Oakville for a few days.
SILVER WATER — Karen Noble
I am writing this news with two giant cats in front of the keyboard. Sylvester and Koala Bear are brothers I adopted over five years ago and love attention.
Albert Meijer and I went to Little Current on Friday to take more liquor containers to the Beer Store. We got enough money to reach our $1,000 goal for the food bank and it was sent later that day. The fundraising will continue for the food bank in Mindemoya for the rest of this year.
We ended up in Espanola for lunch as the restaurants in Little Current were closed due to a water outage.
On Friday evening I took several ladies to Meldrum Bay for euchre. On the way home, I took Dorothy Antoine home to Zhiibaahaasing. It was a nice drive in the dark with no wildlife out.
On Saturday morning there was a vendor market in our yard. I have started to put out some yarn for sale if anyone is interested. The weather was very cold and reminded us that fall is approaching.
Saturday afternoon, Albert and I went to the Snowdusters’ Fish Dinner in Rockville. We arrived before 5 pm and the hall was already full with people, sitting inside eating their dinner. There was soon enough other people waiting for a second sitting. Thanks to everyone who attended and to all the workers.
On Sunday there were several carloads of euchre players who travelled to Tehkummah for the afternoon. Myra Duncanson and I had a lucky day for a change and won the high score.
Monday the recycle bins were open in the afternoon and we had lots of people out.
Monday night was the last euchre game at G.G’s. September 16 was at the Burpee Complex.
On Wednesday there was an Island Wide UCW gathering at the Lyons Memorial United Church in Gore Bay. There were around 50 ladies. Two ladies were on ZOOM to do part of the service. Then lunch was served to everyone. After lunch, Kaitlyn Sorbara and her boss, Carly, did a presentation on a new program that is in the trial phase to help with mobile wellness needs of people on the Island. Before we left, there was a door prize draw. I would like to thank Carolyn Lane Rock for drawing my number. It was for a beautiful wreath made by Paulie Nodecker.
On Thursday we made a batch of tomato sauce and five apple pies.
Paul and Dianne McCallum are at their cottage for a few weeks.
Sharon Beaton and her mother have returned home.
Jim and Julie Edwards have returned to Indiana for the winter.
Debbie Addison Brawn is here working at her parents’ house.
Albert mentioned that we had an extra pet in the house one day last week. I guessed mouse, bird, squirrel but none of those were correct. He found a small milk snake on the stairs to the basement. It is now living outside and I hope it stays there.
The UCW hosts a fashion show on September 21 starting at 2 pm at the Silver Water Hall.
There will be a luncheon at 12 noon followed by a euchre tournament starting at 1 pm on September 29 at the Silver Water Hall.
There will be a Silver Water Recreation Centre meeting including an election on October 2.
The Local Roads Board meeting will be Monday, October 7 at the Silver Water Hall.
Condolences to the family of Sheila Fogal.
