Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your friendly feathered and weathered fly.
Something happens here in early March that I can only describe as an awakening.
As the snow starts to melt, sheaths of ice fall from rooftops, bushwacking and sugarbush tapping begins and everyone catches onto the ebb and flow and business of new beginnings. Bear cubs are born, sap begins to flow and the winds of change carry with them the promise of new days and songs of Spring. Our beautiful Island is waking up after her long winter sleep! Can you feel it?
Here’s What’s happening: Providence Bay Arena: Learn to skate on Sundays from 12 noon to 1 pm; Public skate is on Sundays from 1 to 3 pm; family sponge puck is on Sundays from 3 to 5 pm. Sponsored by the Spring Bay/Providence Bay Recreation Committee. March Break skate times are Tuesday to Friday, public skate is 1 to 2 pm; sponsored family skate is from 2 to 3 pm. Sponsored by the Spring Bay/Providence Bay Lions Club. Helmets required.
Providence Bay Curling Club continues to be busy with events and schedules, email providencebaycurling@gmail.com or call 705-377-4668 to register. Our annual pancake breakfast is coming up soon! Hope to see you there!
Friday, March 8 from 8 to 11 am.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church Sunday service: 10:30 am meet-up; 11 am service. Happy Ash Wednesday and Lent.
Way to represent at the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies 2025 Convention Dawn, Alex and all, well done and congratulations!
Winter workouts continue Friday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30 am till March 14 at the Providence Bay Hall.
Tai Chi Classes continue Mondays and Thursdays from
10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Gentle Yoga continues with Chair Yoga and Gentle Yoga Tuesdays from 1 to 1:45 pm and 2 to 3 pm at Providence Bay Hall TFN. Gentle Yoga continues Wednesdays at 6:15 pm at Spring Bay Hall. Traditional Taekwon-do continues this Thursday and next Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at 6 pm.
The Heavens: March 14: Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon/worm moon). A mesmerizing Blood Moon will grace the skies! This total lunar eclipse will be visible from America, Antarctica, Alaska and parts of Africa. March 23: Saturn’s Ring Plane, Crossing Saturn’s rings will disappear for a short time as we observe them edge-on from Earth! Upcoming astronomical events in 2025 include: March 20: March equinox. March 29: Partial solar eclipse; and April 12: Pink Moon.
Wishing you clear skies and bright sights! Happy sky-gazing.
Providence Post Office update: We will have our Post Office and regular mail available for the month of March. Shout out to our new Postie, we appreciate you J.
The Friends: Congratulations to you early March babies old and new. Hope all your wishes come true. Happy Birthday Michael and Mya. Happy March Break everyone! Enjoy a safe and Happy Winter Break. Happy Women’s Day on Sunday, March 9 and reminder to spring forward to DST on March 9.
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.”
— “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
Deep thoughts, by Team Fergmeijer: Everyone should be getting into feng shui. Because sometimes when you’re having a bad day it’s nice to know it’s the credenza’s fault. If the airlines were smart, they would seat a dog every few rows and then charge extra to sit next to a dog. Do we want to pay for an upgrade – no. Do we want to pay for a PUPgrade? Absolutely! It appears that there exists a quantity of artificial butter flavour beyond which people begin to believe it’s not butter. This is known as the margarine of error. Have you ever pondered what the moon would look like if it were colonized? Probably something like M:O:O:N.
Manitoulin Streams Youth Rangers are at it again! On Friday, March 14 (from 11 am to 2 pm) kids in Grades 1 to 8 are invited to take part in a ‘Maple Syrup Event’ at the Kagawong Park Centre. Cost is $10/child, and a pizza lunch is provided. Contact getinvolved.manitolinstreams@gmail.com for more information and to register.
New free seniors’ exercise classes have started up at the Park Centre. The first session was last week, but you are still able to join the remaining classes including tomorrows! Come out at 9:30 am on March 6, 13 and 20. No registration necessary.
Many happy returns to Arthur H. who is turning 29 this week. Choosing the best flavour for your birthday cake can be tricky. We suggest avoiding marble cake (it’s hard on the teeth). Happy birthday!
As winter swings into spring, there’s lots going on in Kagawong over the next few weeks!
St. John’s Anglican Church is holding a chili luncheon this Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm. The homemade chili dinner includes biscuits and refreshments for just $14. Desserts are available also and it can all be eaten at the church or take it home with you.
On Thursday, March 13, Cambrian College is hosting a free community kitchen workshop at the Park Centre. In this full-day session, you’ll learn to cook a meal from start to finish and then feast together as a community. This is a great opportunity to enhance your cooking skills and maybe even meet some new friends! Registration is required – register no later than Wednesday, March 5 by contacting manitoulin@cambriancollege.ca or by calling 705-368-3194.
Spring dance season is just around the corner! Classes with Candice Irwin of Body Stories Dance Education and Performance are starting up again the week of March 17. Kagawong classes at the Park Centre Monday evenings include “Creative Movement” (ages 3-6), “Contemporary” (ages 6 and up), and “Mindful Movement” (adults and teens). Check out bodystoriesdance.com for more information.
What happens when a microscope crashes into a telescope? They kaleidoscope. Have a great week!
Barrie Island
Enid Runnalis
Bonnie Hore and Melody Hore of Gordon Township were on hand at the voting centre at the Gordon/Barrie Island location, where they greeted voters and handed out ballots. Everything ran smoothly and we have learned that our local MPP is Bill Rosenberg of the PC party.
I just found a booklet called ‘VOTERS’ LIST for the Municipality of the Township of Barrie Island for the year 1961. It lists 70 adults entitled to vote with the following names: Baker, Callback, Campbell, Greenman, Jefkins, Lane, Langton, Long, MacLean, Matheson, Merrylees, Mervyn, Montgomery, Orford, Phalen and Runnalls. A few of those historic names are still among us and there are some new ones added.
This past week on Sunday, Darlene Orford and her son Larry stopped in to wish George Calback a happy birthday. At 91, George has the distinction of being Barrie Island’s oldest citizen. Carolyn said they always enjoy a visit with these good friends.
Barrie Island’s youngest citizen, Mr. Micah Runnalls is celebrating his 4th birthday on Saturday. On his list of birthday wishes is pizza, rainbow chip birthday cake, dancing and skating!
Micah, along with his family, attended the 5th birthday party of Jewel Rein at the Gore Bay Legion last Saturday night. It was a super fun party with a pink unicorn theme, delicious Filipino food, music, games and dancing. And then there was more dancing, lol.
Jim and Sandy Miller made a quick trip to Barrie Island from their home in Ottawa. They stayed at the home of Oliver and Barb Runnalls. It was a busy weekend for them as they spent time with family on Barrie Island, visited Barb at the Gore Bay Lodge, attended grandsons Arie and Isaiah’s curling lessons in Providence Bay and then went skating with the boys and Eli at the Kagawong outdoor arena.
They say it’s a small world and to prove it Carolyn Lane Rock and Anne Steele ran into each other last week while vacationing in Portugal! So they went out for lunch and took in the countryside. They probably talked about how they were missing the snow on Barrie Island and Meldrum Bay or maybe Canadian politics.
Enid Runnalls paid Lil Greenman a visit on Thursday afternoon. Lil reports that Lance is continuing with his physiotherapy in Sudbury and she hopes he will be feeling better soon.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On Friday morning, Shawn Noble, his daughter Tamara and brother-in-law Chad Chevrette left to go to Ottawa to pack everything out of Tamara’s apartment into a U-Haul. They arrived home on Sunday at supper time. Thank you to all the people who helped get the truck into the driveway, well after dark.
On Friday, February 21 we went to euchre in Meldrum Bay and had a lot of fun.
On Saturday, the recycling bins were open. There were lots of people out in the afternoon.
On Sunday, I went to Tehkummah to do bookwork.
On Monday, there was euchre at the Burpee/Mills complex with seven full tables of players.
On Tuesday there was an exercise group at the Silver Water Hall.
On Tuesday, DonnaKay McDonald and I went to Little Current for the election training.
On Wednesday, Shawn Noble and Brenda Carter went to Little Current for their training sessions.
On Wednesday there was line dancing at the hall.
Work continues on the new bathroom in the upstairs of the hall.
On Thursday the Ontario election poll was held in the Silver Water Community Hall. Thanks to all the people who came out to vote and everyone who worked for Elections Ontario.
On Thursday, March 6 there is a service for the Worlds Day of Prayer at St. Andrew’s United Church in the morning at 11 am and then the UCW meeting at 1:30 pm. We will go to Stop 540 for lunch.
On Friday, March 14 there is an Irish Stew supper in Burpee/Mills.
On Saturday, March 15 there is a breakfast in Meldrum Bay.
On Monday, March 17 there is a St. Patrick’s Day potluck supper at the Silver Water Hall with the proceeds going to the Angel Bus.
Happy Birthday to Joyce Benoit, Vicki Clark, Myra Duncanson, Christopher Wismer, Ken Duncanson and who all have birthdays early in March.
Condolences to the family of Stella Campbell.
Condolences to the family of Blair Bailey.
