Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your friendly mid-August fair Fly!
This is it! Providence Bay Fair is here, time to get your fancy top chickens out of the coop, get your horses and husbands groomed, pick and present your best of the best early harvest, showcase your wonderful arts, crafts, pies, pictures, quilts, get your tags, tickets and totes, your parade costumes and floats. Happy Blue Jeans and Country Dreams to all, can’t wait to see everyone, enjoy the midway, enjoy the shows and competitions, hear the wonderful ambassador speeches and enjoy the live shows and concerts! The Providence Bay parade and fair is always epic and entertaining! Come join in on the fun! Friday, August 15, Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17 at the Providence Bay Fairgrounds. For more information, tickets and passes visit: https://providencebayfair.ca/.
Here’s what’s happening: Providence Bay Fairgrounds:
Blue Jeans and Country Dreams Fair, August 15 to 17.
Providence Bay/Mindemoya/Spring Bay Hall:
Providence Bay Spring Bay Lions are set for an exciting weekend! The Providence Bay and Spring Bay Lions Club will be hosting a breakfast on Saturday, August 16 from 8 am to 12 noon. Pancakes, strawberries, scrambled eggs and your choice of bacon or sausage, juice and coffee are available.
Kids 6-12 years, $10; adults, $15.
For 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: August is the busiest month for our little church and for the Providence Bay Agricultural Society who are busy gearing up for this year’s fair! The church will be hosting their annual quilting demo on Saturday, August 16 from 11 am to 3 pm. Come on by and say hello! Check the Providence Bay Community of Christ Facebook page for announcements and updates!
Providence Bay Curling club: Is the hub and starting point for the annual Providence Bay Parade! For more information contact Bev McDermid via the Facebook page. Check the Providence Bay Curling Club Facebook page for details and updates.
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 and this weekend is fair weekend! On Friday, August 15 catch Trout Lily, Saturday, August 16 see Debajehmujig Story Tellers and Catriona Sturton. This is not a ticketed event, but you can support your local musicians by donation at the side of the stage show. Note if the show gets rained out, it is always pushed to the next show day. Location: 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 through August from 6:30 to 9 pm. Bring your blankets and chairs! Check the Huron Island Time Facebook page for updates.
Reuse/Recycle: The Providence Bay Reuse Shed is 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 Lions Club Bottle Drive continues next to the arena. This program is open to the public and we encourage everyone to drop off their used bottles and cans. Your empties help fund great local initiatives.
The Heavens: Manitoulin Island is a dark sky reserve so find a dark sky spot, bring your telescope and enjoy the wonders of the cosmos. August 11-13 Perseids Meteor shower; August 11-13 Venus meets Jupiter in the lower eastern sky; August 26 the Moon meets mars, catch the crescent moon; September 7, Corn or “Harvest” moon; total Lunar Eclipse from September 7 to 8.
The Friends: Happy birthday to all of you mid-August babies! Courage and love to the Dewar, Sagle/Butler and Douglas families. Your community is here for you.
We welcome you all to Manitoulin Island, we wish you a wonderful, happy and safe summer holiday and happy fair weekend to all!
For the daily Chi-Cheemaun schedule visit:
www.ontarioferries.com
“Buy the ticket, take the ride…”
– Hunter S. Thompson
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
As followers of this column will know, Team Fergmeijer are quite the history buffs, and we have been using our summer holidays to read up on historical facts and stories that are new to us. For example, one of us is reading a biography about a famous man who rode a horse through South America with a sense of entitlement and a savoury tart. We are really enjoying learning about con-quiche-tadors. The other amazing fact the book covers is that seals were used throughout the early European medieval period for the official authorisation of important documents, until someone discovered that otters were cheaper and more cooperative. History is amazing!
The annual History Day in Kagawong hosted by the Billings Heritage Centre is this Thursday (August 14) and features Kagawong’s favourite celebrity, Steve Paikin! He 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, both at the Kagawong Park Centre. Admission is free, though donations to the museum are appreciated.
Need to entertain the littles for a bit this summer? Head for the library throughout August for Summer Fun Days! Youth 5-10 years old are welcome Tuesdays from 10 to 11 am for games, stories and crafts.
Happy birthday to Dane T, Meg M and Bonnie F as they all celebrate their 29th birthdays! We aren’t sure if they are going to go with vanilla or chocolate for their birthday cakes. Or maybe they are adding candles to a birthday pie. However you slice it, we wish you health and happiness on your big days!
We tried to come up with a new yoga pun, but it was a bit of a stretch. On Saturdays, 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; the last one for the summer will be this Saturday (August 16).
If you missed the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the township’s draft waste management by-law, here’s an opportunity you can’t, ahem, refuse. A second public consultation period is now being held to gather additional feedback on the revised version of the by-law and the supporting policy. No trash talking though – serious comments only as Billings Township looks to modernize waste management. The consultation runs until August 22 and can be found at https://www.billingstwp.ca/live-here/waste-and-recycling.
The Manitoulin Tennis Club is hosting an “End of Summer” tennis tournament, Saturday, August 23, beginning at 9 am at the Manitoulin Secondary School courts. There will be singles and doubles competition, with players of all ages and abilities welcome. There will even be prizes! Age-specific categories available if enough players sign up. Register by contacting Chris at ctheijsmeijer@gmail.com.
Did you hear about the thieves who stole an entire store’s stock of energy drinks? We wonder how those crooks sleep at night. Have a great week!
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
There were no cards Friday night due to the preparations for the beef barbecue. It was really like a huge family picnic. In the afternoon there was a corn hole tournament and a community yard sale. There was lots of food and people sitting inside and people sitting outside on picnic tables. I worked on serving and everyone was so cheerful. After the dinner there was live music. The attendance was excellent. All the corn was eaten but it lasted to the very end. As usual the corn was juicy and sweet. Every year Rose VanEvery’s daughter and son-in-law donate the corn from their southern Ontario market garden and orchards. We also had lots of beef and huge green salads. Thank you to the people who worked so hard to make the day a success.
Meldrum Bay United Church celebrated their 125th anniversary. Again, the attendance was great. Rev. Janice Frame had a picture show of former members of the church and community. Erwin Thompson gave a prayer. There were readings and singing. The church was beautifully decorated. Then, we gathered outside for cake and ice cream.
Cards resumed the week of August 8 at 7:30 pm. Everyone was welcome to join us.
I baked a carrot cake for the bake sale in Gore Bay Friday morning. I sent it ahead. I missed going this time around.
The warm weather has been a bit too warm for me. But people have been enjoying the campground, swimming and biking. Near us there is a magnificent field of corn that is so tall and big, it is amazing. The tassels are all developed but the cobs aren’t quite fat yet. The corn seems to be enjoying the hot sunny weather as well.
In my garden, my beans look like babies yet, but we bought some lovely yellow beans from a neighbour. Our next-door neighbour has been sharing his cucumbers and romaine lettuce. I’ve eaten a few of the smaller tomatoes out of my garden. Hopefully you are enjoying your gardens as well.
Have a great week.
Barrie Island
Enid Runnalls
In the last two weeks the local farmers have been finishing up the second cut of hay. Most of it was pretty good. A set of twins and possibly a third were born on grass and are being cared for in the home barnyard. A few calves are yet to come.
In the garden, hollyhocks are blooming and the Rose of Sharon has just started. Tomatoes are ripening on the vine. The sky has been filled with smoke, but the sun seems to be getting through.
Enid participated in the Manitoulin Plein Air festival this year which showcased at Studio 6 at the Gore Bay Harbour Centre. She was very pleased to receive the honourable mention from the judges for her piece titled, ‘Barrie Island Garden’. So many beautiful paintings were presented and can be seen at Studio 6 among their other fine art works. You must visit!
Following the weekend, a group of Manitoulin artists gathered at the Waters Edge Restaurant in Gore Bay for a chance to ‘talk shop’ with their peers. Enid was in attendance along with a few others who were either born on Barrie Island or have been out to paint there. Once again, Studio 6 was instrumental in this event! How wonderful for our local artists.
On Tuesday evening after dinner, Carolyn Lane-Rock, Sandy Miller and Enid were out collecting the best they could find from their gardens for presentation at the Campbell Horticultural Society’s Annual Flower Show at the Providence Bay Community Centre. The next morning was a flurry of activity as they placed their perennials, annuals, houseplants and vegetables for judging. In the end Carolyn won a first for her giant Hosta leaves and beets, Sandy won first for her Shasta Daisies and second for her Hosta leaves and Enid placed first for her Tiger Lily and third for her miniature and Ikebana floral arrangements. Judge’s choice ribbon went to Camilla Yahnke (Campbell Township) for her ‘Nature’s Harmony’ wayside design and the People’s Choice ribbon was awarded to Seija Bailey (Burpee Township) for her ‘Year of the Snake’ curvilinear design. Both designs also won firsts for their categories. The lunch was lovely and was served by Bonnie Hore, Melody Hore and others.
Ben Perry of Ottawa (Fiona Miller’s husband) visited the cottage of Sandy and Jim Miller for the long weekend. Fiona and her little boys Griffin and Rowan have been enjoying sunny days on the dock and are out and about. Her childhood friend, Dr. Leslie Hanson is visiting for a few days with her daughters Fiadh and Aiofe.
The Tour de Barrie Island has been a long a bike riding/hiking/swimming tradition here established in 1995 by Carolyn Lane-Rock was held on Saturday of the long weekend. This year 21 were in attendance with a potluck at the Barrie Island Hall.
Cameron Runnalls and Reece Carter took Micah to Sudbury for a little fun holiday. They went to Science North where Micah enjoyed the LEGO area as well as the mud table. They stayed at a hotel with a pool and it was a lot of fun!
Mark your calendars for the Manitoulin Fine Arts Association Members’ Show at the Sheguindah Museum on Friday, August 15. Enid plans to put something in that show but she’s not sure what it will be.
Also just ahead, the Annual Barrie Island Beach Barbecue at the Julia Bay Beach on the causeway will be held on Friday, August 22 from 4 to 7 pm. It’s a potluck but also free Burt Farm hotdogs will be served, and we will enjoy the music of Elora Miller and Jon Best as well as the clowning antics of MaD HoTdeR (aka Mina Hodder). If it rains, we will simply move the event to the Barrie Island Hall at the corner of East Line Road and 10th Side Road. Bring your beach chair and your picnic ware. All are welcome!
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On Friday night, August 1 there was no euchre in Meldrum Bay so the dining room could be set up for the beef dinner on Saturday night.
On Saturday, Albert Meijer and I went to Sudbury for the day. The first stop at the Kubota dealer found closed gates as they are not open on Saturday. We managed to arrive at the Little Current swing bridge both ways in time to have it open to let boats through. It was a short wait.
I heard the beef roast was a big success again this year.
Sunday night Keith and Iris Clarke invited Tom and Linda Rumley, Myra Duncanson and me to play six-handed euchre. We had a lot of fun even when I was not on the winning team.
Monday night I took Brenda Carter and Myra and Ken Duncanson to euchre at the Burpee and Mills complex. There were nine tables of players.
Tuesday, Albert and I went to Meldrum Bay to work on the kits and quilts project.
On Wednesday I went to work in Gore Bay and did errands after.
Thursday there was euchre at the Silver Water Community Hall with 25 players. Congratulations to Paul Sorbara who won the money jar.
Paul Sorbara had his family visit last weekend at his home.
Ken Fowler and Tracy Gray had four of their sons and two grandsons visit for a week at their cottage. Ken had his sister Fran visit before that.
Mark Wismer is here from Vancouver Island with some of his family.
Andy Cull is staying with his mother Ardith for a while.
Yvonne Morris had a friend Karen visiting at her cottage in Elizabeth Bay that she first knew in public school in Sudbury.
Kate Duncanson and her husband Chip Tomisch arrived at her mother Myra’s house a couple of weeks ago in time to attend the Meldrum Bay annual beef roast. They left to attend one wedding in Marathon and then one in Verner.
Gladys Duncanson and I have been swimming almost every day. The water is getting almost too warm, but we continue to enjoy it. There have been lots of other people using the lake too.
We are planning to have a market in our yard every Saturday for the rest of August with lots of vendors. Come on out to support the locals and help raise funds for the Angel Bus.
Anyone with pop tabs can drop them off to me. We have a church collecting them to help pay for wheelchairs.
There will be a Local Services Board election meeting in Robinson Township on Sunday, August 24 at 7 pm at the Silver Water Community Hall.
On Friday, August 22 the UCW is providing the cake and coffee at the Gore Bay Market Café in the basement of the Gore Bay Community Hall from 9 am to 1 pm. The rest of the market is held at the waterfront near the pavilion.
Thunder has been rolling here for a while and the rain has started to pour down. Lightning just lit up my office with a crash of thunder following. The gardens need the rain, so it is nice to see.
Condolences to the family of Yvonne Bondi.
