Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Townships, taxpayers and Texas floods! Amid all the doom and gloom and reality checks, the Toulin time clock keeps on ticking and every last one of us are burning the candelabras and firecrackers at both ends trying to usher in our best business season, best memories and best gardens and harvest this side of the western hemisphere. Summer’s hum and honey is sweet and all things delicious and delightful come and go in a hummingbird’s wingbeat. Enjoy your visit, this is the best place to take a minute. Manitoulin Island is a gift never to be squandered. Look up from your phones for a spell, admire the cascade of orange pinks and purple at dusk and dawn; the monochromatic hillside hews of greens, yellow and blue. Birds and butterflies are in full bounty now. These are the scopes and scenes that inspire and spark your soul fire. Let the sun kiss your face, the waters calm you and the people charm you. We welcome you friends and neighbours to Manitoulin Island.
Here’s what’s happening: Providence Bay Arena/Fairgrounds: No big events this weekend but you may catch some of the horses and trainers preparing for the August Providence Bay Fair horse show. The bleachers are always a beautiful place to spot Eagles, Hawks and catch a great sunset. If you would like some more information about the August Providence Bay Fair, you can check out the Providence Bay Fair Facebook page. Campsites are selling fast.
Providence Bay/Mindemoya/Spring Bay Hall: Manitoulin recreational events calendar with class schedules for Providence Bay Hall, Mindemoya Hall and Spring Bay Hall visit: events.centralmanitoulin.ca or contact Alison Sloss at asloss@centralmanitoulin.ca 705-377-5726.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church: Check the Facebook page for services and events as times may vary throughout the busy season. Joys and community updates at 10:30 am; service at 11 am.
The Providence Bay/Spring Bay Lions are launching their new progressive lottery “Catch the Ace” to benefit the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary Inc. starting July 21.
$5 tickets will be available at Mindemoya Grill & Chill, D.A. Williamson, Huron Island Time, Buie’s Grocery and Lions Club members. The first draw takes place Tuesday, August 12 at 7 pm and will be broadcast live on the Providence Bay/Spring Bay Lions Facebook page. From each ticket sale, 20% funds the weekly jackpot, 30% contributes to the progressive jackpot and 50% goes directly to the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary Inc.
Providence Bay Beach Boardwalk and Discovery Centre is officially open for the season seven days a week from now until the end of August – you can check their Facebook page or centralmanitoulin.ca for events – Wednesdays are event days – stay tuned for updates or call 705-377-5025 for information.
Providence Bay Beach: is an amazing 2 km sand beach on Lake Huron coast that is open to the public. Play safe and enjoy the beautiful beaches, boardwalk and epic sunrises, moonrises and sunsets.
Sunset Music Series: The series officially marshalled in the new music season, be sure to catch Jeff Wiseman Trio on Friday, July 18 and Ian Reed on Saturday, July 19. This is not a ticketed event, but you can support your local musicians by donation side of the stage show. Note if the show gets rained out – it is always pushed to the next show day. The location is in Providence Bay beside Huron Island Time. Parking and washrooms at the site. The music series features great musicians and artists who take to the stage right beside the boardwalk and Discovery centre every weekend though July and August from 6:30 to 9 pm. Bring your blankets and chairs!
Manitoulin District Cenotaph and Memorial Gardens:
Four distinct monuments; the Merchant Marines Memorial, the Manitoulin District Cenotaph, the Youth in Partnership with Veterans Memorial and the Women’s Memorial stand in this tranquil memorial garden located on Hwy 551/542 between Mindemoya and Providence Bay off Monument Road. These monuments are a tribute and ode to the men and women whose service, contributions and sacrifices for peace and freedom we honour and remember. The cenotaph flags are those of Canada’s WW2 allies.
We remember and give thanks.
The Heavens: July 16 moon bear Saturn and Neptune.
July 17 Perseid Meteor shower
July 31 Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor shower peal.
Manitoulin Island is a dark sky reserve so find a dark sky spot, bring your telescope and enjoy the wonders of the cosmos. Next full moon is Saturday, August 9, Sturgeon. Moon
The Friends:
Happy Birthday to all of you mid-July babies! We welcome you all to Manitoulin Island and we wish you a wonderful, happy and safe Summer Holiday. Be sure to take lots of pictures and please keep our beaches, hiking trails and waterways clean and litter free for the health and sustainability of our ecosystems and wildlife. Check out your favourite local businesses, art galleries and restaurants social pages for special events. You can also visit the Central Manitoulin Township webpage or visit exploremanitoulin.com for updates on all the events happening near you.
“Hummingbirds are tiny miracles that remind us of the extraordinary beauty that exists in the smallest of things.”
– Anonymous
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
On Friday, July 4, a group of us drove to Gore Bay. First, we went to the Community Hall for desserts and coffee. I enjoyed my date square. We visited with friends who were there. We went down to the waterfront to take in the market and there was a large variety of interesting things being sold. Pat bought a nice-looking bat house from someone with many interesting looking birdhouses and bat houses for sale. In other booths there were baking, garden produce, crafts and artwork. My brother and sister-in-law had a table too. We stopped for lunch at Cod Mother’s Restaurant. After a bit of grocery shopping, we made our way home.
Friday evening at cards there were four full tables and two people sitting out. High lady was Millie Kelly with 75; high man was Bob Benedict with 85, he took home the money jar and he also took home the juice. Congratulations Bob! Ladies’ lone hands went to Donna K MacDonald with two and men’s lone hands went to Murray Duncanson with three; most euchres went to Natasha McVey with eight; Elaine Bradley won the door prize; Steve Gugelyk won the 50/50 draw. We all had a great time.
Saturday morning, we got up early and drove off to Karen Noble’s yard sale. Again, we all had a great time. We all sat around in lawn chairs and visited. Proceeds went to the Angel Bus.
Jamie and Norma had company from out of town and invited us to join them for a roast beef dinner. It was beef from the Martin farm and was full of flavour and very tender. Of course, I had to finish up with bread and gravy and then came dessert.
On Thursday, July 10 there was a euchre game in Silver Water. Six came from Meldrum not counting the two girls that came with their dad, and they quietly entertained themselves while the rest of us played. Coming home it was dark and we encountered a baby skunk dancing on the road. First one side then the other back and forth and we waited for him, politely until he decided to scramble into the bush. One deer was staring at us from the ditch and a large bird (owl?) flew up close to us. We enjoyed the wildlife and were glad we didn’t hit anything.
Have a great weekend everyone. Drive carefully.
Barrie Island
Enid Runalls
Barrie Island has been abuzz with activity this week!
Jeff Rock and his fiancé Casey Krieger were here to celebrate their upcoming nuptials. Jeff’s mother Carolyn Lane-Rock and friends decorated the Barrie Island Hall and fed a crowd of 50 guests. The couple welcomed friends from the Island, Sudbury and Toronto to fete them ahead of their wedding which takes place on July 11 in Vancouver, B.C.
Carolyn Lane-Rock, Jim and Sandy Miller and Katie Runnalls have all jetted off to Vancouver this week to attend Jeff and Casey’s wedding.
Also, there was a bachelorette party happening at the cottage of Gerry and Jane Webber, as their daughter Mackenzie is getting married this August.
Moya Miller and Jeff Rothwell, along with their daughters Lucy and Liv spent the week at their grandparent’s cottage. As well as enjoying the cottage time, they were in town to eat fish and chips and enjoyed the beach at Fish Point and the Water Park. There are so many fun things to do in Gore Bay! Also, they jumped on Micah’s trampoline and ate ice cream and did some painting with their aunt Enid. They had a lovely time and we hope that they come back soon.
Pickle the dog got sick one night and had to visit the vet. Dr. Jo Paquet of the Island Animal Hospital and Vet Tech Bryn Milsap took such good care of him and he is now feeling better.
On Tuesday, Enid was in Silver Water with the Campbell Horticultural Society to visit the garden of Eric and Linda Thiessen. The group was enthralled with the beauty of the garden and the variety of garden structures there including a private artist studio, a salad green house, a laying hen hut and meat bird hut, a grape vine pergola, a garden church, and raised vegetable beds! Linda and Eric are an artistic couple and there was evidence of their creations everywhere the eye rested!
Enid Runnalls has been busy preparing her Barrie Island Studio for visitors during the Manitoulin Art Tour which is to start this week on July 18,19,20, from 10 am to 4 pm. Her paintings reflect life on Barrie Island – a place of agricultural heritage and natural beauty, where her family has roots going back to 1879.
Bill Runnalls of Winnipeg arrived yesterday to spend some time here with his older brother, Oliver Runnalls. They had dinner at Waters Edge last night and enjoyed a feed of fish and the acoustic guitar music of Kenny and Joel.
A service is planned for the community to celebrate the life of Brother John Featherstone. It will be held at the Barrie Island Hall on July 17 at 6 pm. Our condolences go out to Pauline and sons and their families.
Have a good week everyone! Please call if you have some news to share!
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On Friday, July 4 we went to euchre in Meldrum Bay.
Saturday morning, we had a market in our yard with quite a few shoppers attending. We are hoping to start having more produce for sale on Saturday, July 26.
DonnaKay McDonald, Gene Cada, Myra Duncanson and I went to the euchre tournament in Tehkummah on Sunday. There were nine tables of players.
Heather Wilson, Gladys Duncanson and I have been enjoying swimming in Silver Lake. It is just the right temperature now to cool us off.
There was euchre at the Silver Water Community Hall on Thursday night.
Bill Kling is at his cottage for the month of July. Jim and Patsy Kling are here with some of their family visiting.
Reminder to the residents of Robinson Township that there will be a metal recycling bin in our yard at 20563 Hwy 540 on Saturday, July 19. Any proceeds of the bin are for the Local Services Board. The bin will arrive before Saturday and will stay for several days to give everyone the opportunity to use it.
Condolences to the family of Benson Wayne Sanders.
Condolences to the family of Don Norton.
