Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your hot and humid fly-by!
July is like a bridge. The seventh month brings so many people and memories together all at once, it bridges the people we were and the places we have visited to the people we will become and the journeys that lie ahead of us. It is the passage, place and pinnacle of all forward moving energies and experiences that we must embrace and traverse to bridge and gap the gift of precious time. We try to quantify and measure the minutes and days; file and filter our emotions and memories and lose ourselves in the process. Stop! Be still. Allow the now to fill and forge your soul and senses. Smell the cedars after the rain, savour the fruit from the vine, bask in the warmth of the sun. This is your time to shine, right now! Breathe it in and drink it up, fill your cup and then fill it again!
Here’s what’s happening: Providence Bay arena and fairgrounds: No big events this weekend but you may catch some of the horses and trainers preparing the August Providence Bay Fair horse show. The bleachers are always a beautiful spot 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: To reserve your site download the waiver here: https://2025-prov-fair-camping-waiver.tiiny.site. Complete the form in full! Email it to: provfaircamping@gmail.com.
Providence Bay Curling Club: Bake sale and yard sale Saturday, August 2 from 8 am to 1 pm at 184 Munro Street, Providence Bay (corner of Munro and Mira). Check the Providence Bay Curling Club Facebook page for details.
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 of the weekly jackpot, 30% contributes to the progressive jackpot and 50% goes directly to the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary Inc.
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 London Trio on Friday, August 1 and Nick Posthumous on Saturday, August 2. 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! 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!
Reuse/Recycle: The Providence Bay Reuse Shed is open at the Providence Bay Transfer Station. For more information contact 705-377-5726. Visit the transfer station at 4077 Government Road. Summer hours are Thursday, Saturday or Sunday from 2 to 6 pm until the September long weekend.
The Friends: Happy Birthday to all of you late July and early August babies! Thoughts and love to my late mom who would have celebrated 86 years this August 1. We welcome you all to Manitoulin Island, we wish you a wonderful, happy and safe summer holiday.
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called the present.”
– Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
As many of you know, Team Fergmeijer enjoys puttering about in the kitchen. We also quite enjoy a good cooking show. We have recently finished watching the final episode of the Australian Master Chef series. It was surprising to hear the audience clapping and cheering when the chef made a fancy meringue. In our experience, Australians normally boo meringues.
The Manitoulin Tennis Club meets regularly Wednesdays 6:30 until 8:30 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 12 noon at the Manitoulin Secondary tennis courts. Beginners and players of all ages and abilities are welcome! Team Fergmeijer has only just started getting into tennis and we were wondering if tennis players realized that if they hit the ball a little gentler, their friend could hit it back and they could play longer.
Things are heating up at the library – they hold Summer Fun Days for youth 5-10 years old each Tuesday throughout the summer. Stop in from 10 to 11 am for games, crafts and stories.
The library’s next big summer event is the annual summer beach movie on Saturday, August 9. This year’s offering is 80s classic, Labyrinth starring David Bowie! Show starts at 9 pm; admission is by donation.
This week we are sending out heartfelt birthday wishes to Mike C, Meredith C-N, Dawn N and Beth G on their 29th trip around the sun. We wish you good health, happiness and just a bit of magic. Failing all of that, we wish you doughnuts.
On Saturdays we do Yoga! Seniors (55+) are invited to drop-in Yoga classes at the Kagawong Park Centre at 9:30 am. Beginners and experienced yogis are welcome. Classes are $5 each and run Saturdays until August 16.
On Tuesdays we paint! Tuesdays through July, the township of Billings invites everyone aged 55+ to Painting with Sheila from 1 to 4 pm at the Kagawong Park Centre. These classes are $35 each and include all materials. Beginner painters welcome, refreshments and lots of laughter to be expected! Contact Mary at seniors@billingstwp.ca for more information or to RSVP.
Please note that the pink Sic Sox containers are no longer available at the Park Centre. The company has unexpectedly discontinued the program and the township is looking for alternative providers.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the iconic Old Mill in the village. In honour of its significance to our town and the wider region of Manitoulin and beyond, the museum has published a book that explores its venerable history. These can be purchased at the Billings Heritage Centre (conveniently located in the Old Mill) and at the weekly Wednesday markets.
The museum is also hosting its annual History Day in Kagawong on Thursday, August 14, featuring Kagawong’s favourite celebrity, Steve Paikin, who will be speaking with local historians Candy Tracey, Dianne Fraser and Lois Linley. There will be historical photos and home movies dating back 100 years and the Manitoulin Swing Band will be performing. Come out for the matinee at 3:30 pm or the evening show at 7:30 pm. Admission is free, though donations to the museum are appreciated.
Billings residents, property owners, business owners and other stakeholders are invited to review the proposed draft bylaw on shipping container use and to let council know your thoughts and suggestions. The proposed bylaw and the consultation form can be found on the township website (billingstwp.ca/townhall/by-laws-and-policies).
We bought a vinyl record called “Sounds Wasps Make” but when we got home and played it we agreed it sounded nothing like wasps. Turns out, we were playing the bee side. Have a great week!
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
On Friday night, July 18 at cards Janice Cada was high lady with 80 points; high man was Gene Cada with 90 points; Myra Duncanson won the ladies’ lone hands with four and she took home the juice; Donna K McDonald won the men’s lone hands with four; most euchres went to Lois Wismer with eight; Lynda Rumley won the 50/50 draw. Congratulations to the winners of the money jar, which was shared between Gene Cada with 91 points and Donna K McDonald with 89 points. Karen Noble won the door prize.
On Friday morning we had gone into Gore Bay to have coffee and treats in the basement of the town hall. The proceeds go to different area churches. This week we were supporting the West End United Church congregations. It’s always nice to do a good deed and have fun at the same time. We stopped and wandered around looking at the waterfront booths and displays. Then we had lunch at the Codmother’s. After a bit of shopping, we went home. It was a great day.
Soon we will be having our Beef Barbecue at the Community Hall. Every year the beef has been tender and delicious. The last few years Rose’s daughter and son-in-law have donated corn on the cob and it has been delicious. I hope that they do the same this year.
This week we attended Norm Morrell’s funeral in Burpee Mills. Following interment there was a lunch served. He touched so many lives. He often took services here in Meldrum when Rev. Janice Frame was away. He did many auctions. One lady I spoke to told me how he until a few years ago had done her income taxes for her. He sold real estate. He was a high school teacher and vice principal. So many hats he had worn in his lifetime. He was very friendly and was always making new friends. We send our condolences to his family and friends.
We were out to visit friends tonight and on our way home we saw a small buck with two prongs for antlers. There have been some bear sitings as well. So far the bears have been behaving themselves. The deer have been behaving themselves too. We have two grape vines but our neighbour on Water Street and another on Joyce Road South have a large number planted. Hopefully the deer leave them alone.
Have a great week everyone.
Barrie Island
Enid Runnalis
Apologies to the readers of this column which didn’t happen last week. I was busy at my other job, being an artist!
The sun has been shining on Barrie Island and so the hay is growing well and yet frequent rain has impeded the cutting and baling cycle. But I guess you shouldn’t complain too much when you’ve got a good crop. Some of the bulls have been put out with the cows in the pastures.
On Thursday, July 17 there was a gathering at the Barrie Island Community Hall for John Featherstone’s memorial service. People came from far and wide to celebrate Brother John’s life. His wife Pauline and son Austin were here for the first time since moving to Manitoba and it was a bittersweet reunion for their local friends and neighbours.
Last Friday, July 18, I found myself scurrying around early in the morning posting ‘Art Tour’ signs along the road and putting those last minute touches in the studio. Sandy Miller and Carolyn Lane-Rock were on hand the whole weekend to greet, guide guests and put the coffee on. Thank you to the many visitors – true art lovers who ventured here to appreciate and discuss art and artmaking! It was so much fun!
For those of you who didn’t make it to the Art Tour, Enid’s Barrie Island Studio is open most days by appointment or by chance.
Bill Runnalls is here from Winnipeg to visit his big brother Oliver Runnalls and sister-in-law Barabara Runnalls. Bill is an avid walker and has been out daily to tread the trails of his youth. He is looking forward to Oliver’s performance with the Manitoulin Swing Band at the Gore Bay Harbour Days.
Edith and Elwood Beange were at their property for a few days enjoying the summer weather. Edith is a great reader and always stops at the Little Free Library at the corner of 5th Side Road and East Line Road.
Wayne Jeffkins reports that the gooseberries are ripe and ready to be picked in his garden.
Teresa Norrish is enjoying the last few days of July with her parents Bob and Barb Norrish, as she soon will be flying over to New Zealand. She plans to travel and work there for two years.
Sandy and Jim Miller have a family friend, 17-year-old Abbey Wilson, visiting for a few weeks. Abbey hails from London, England and is greatly enjoying the rural activities he finds himself involved in, such as four-wheeling, whipper-snipping, campfires, cookouts, fishing, ‘wild’ swimming (as swimming in a lake is referred to elsewhere) and tractor driving.
It’s a full-house at the Miller’s cottage, as their daughter Fiona Miller-Perry is here from Ottawa with her two boys: Griffin (almost three) and Rowan (almost one). When the Miller boys Arie, Isaiah and Eli, as well as Micah show up, they have enough for some sort of team sport. Rock throwing is a favourite activity and the boys are learning to skip stones with some effectiveness.
This week, Mark and Sharon Robbins of Lindsay, Ontario, are visiting Scott and Enid Runnalls for a few days. They will soon be joined by their son Matty Robbins and his girlfriend, Olivia Sisson.
Diane and Sal Brunetti of Kagawong were here for a farm tour with their son Joel, his wife Emily and their two little boys Nico (four) and Theo (two) from Golden, B.C. Micah took the boys on a full tour of the implement shed, pointing out the balers, tedders, combine harvester and manure spreader. Then he moved on to show the bull, a few calves and Melody the horse.
Please contact me if you have any news to share!
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On Friday, July 11 we went to euchre in Meldrum Bay.
On Saturday morning the UCW went to the Burpee/Mills Complex to prepare the lunch for Stella Campbell’s funeral.
On Monday we went to euchre at the Burpee/Mills Complex.
There was a session of kits & quilts in Meldrum Bay on Tuesday, July 15. Colleen Julseth and Albert Meijer went to it and reported they got a lot done.
Fire practice was held on Tuesday evening with a good turnout.
SLM brought a 20-yard metal recycling bin to our yard on Wednesday, July 16 and picked it up on Tuesday, July 22. It was completely full again this year. The proceeds of $221 are for the Local Services Board.
The UCW ice cream party was held at Linda Thiessen’s house on Wednesday, July 16 at 7 pm. The theme for next year’s Canada Day is “west end timber.” We finished the meeting just in time for the rain to start falling.
Larissa Chevrette stayed at our house for two nights. The weather did not co-operate for us to swim. We did some baking and visiting the neighbours.
Gladys and Murray Duncanson had their friends Len and Celin stay with them for the weekend.
On Friday, July 18 there was a group of people who went to the community hall to get ready for the fish dinner on Saturday. On Saturday morning there was another group at the hall to set up the tent outside for cooking the fish and to prepare the potatoes for the ladies to cook. There were over 150 people who attended this hall board fundraiser.
On Monday night we went to euchre at the Burpee/Mills Complex.
Myra Duncanson’s daughter, Kate and her husband Chip Tomisch arrived Friday night and are here for a couple of weeks while on vacation.
A group of UCW went to the Burpee/Mills Complex on Thursday morning to prepare the lunch for after Norm Morrell’s funeral. There was a very large crowd for the funeral.
There was euchre at the Silver Water Community Hall on Thursday evening.
Murray and Gladys Duncanson have their son, Clarke and grandson Aiden at their house for the weekend.
Happy Birthday to DonnaKay McDonald, Rose Van Every and Larissa Chevrette on August 7.
Condolences to the family of Norm Morrell, the family of Ginger Morrison and the family of Kathy Beckon.
