PROVIDENCE BAY
Alexia here with your Harvest and Halloween fly. Yesterday I was cleaning the kitchen ahead of my houseguest and realized I already have a few new ones! There is a petrified fly between the kitchen windowpanes that is bordering on Palaeontologic and there is a wolf spider that has taken residence in the back corner pocket of the kitchen nook and as far as anything else that’s thinking of shacking up in here for the winter. The cat has already got your number! Happy hunting Scaramouche! And happy hunting for Moose Manitoulin! I have already seen some good hunts and harvests! While we are busy refilling our freezers and pantries with meat, potatoes and preserves and relocating our hunting, hockey, Halloween, holiday decorations, hats boots, gloves and skates, the little critters and creatures too, are busy stockpiling, weaving, nesting and burrowing their foraged treasures deep. And every last one of us, all creatures great and small are enjoying basking in the last warm days and colours of the season of sun.
Here’s what’s happening:
Providence Bay Arena: The Providence Bay Fall Vendor Market on Saturday, October 18 and a few more fun fall events to look forward to before the rec night skating and hockey season goes full tilt, stay tuned!
Providence Bay Hall: Manitoulin recreational events calendar with class schedules for Providence Bay Hall visit centralmanitoulin.ca or contact Alison Sloss at asloss@centralmanitoulin.ca or phone 705-377-5726.
Exercise Classes are Fridays at 9 am.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church: Joys and community updates are Sundays at 10:30 am. Service is Sundays at 11 am. Check the Providence Bay Community of Christ Facebook page for announcements and updates!
The air is getting crisp, the night is getting spooky… and we’re ready to dance!
Food Drive: REVEL Realty and I are sponsoring the annual pick-a-pumpkin for a non-perishable food drive again this year for Manitoulin Family Resources Food Bank. We will have pumpkins generously donated by Tom Cooper of Cooper Farm and I will have a table set up inside the Vendors Market on Saturday, October 18 at the Providence Bay Arena. Look for posters and announcements coming soon! Items in demand for the food bank this season are cleaning supplies, juices, pet food dry and wet, dairy free products and canned meat. This will be updated again for October, please visit the Manitoulin Family Facebook page for updates. How can you get involved? Come to the arena to say hello, bring your non-perishable food donation and then pick-a-pumpkin! If you like, you can take a fall/pumpkin selfie at our photo booth for fun! Hope to see you all there! Thanks for your support!
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. Whether you’re a seasoned skywatcher or just love watching shooting stars and auroras, October is packed with celestial beauty.
October 7 is Full Hunter’s Supermoon.
October 8 is when Draconid Meteor shower sprinkles the sky with shooting stars.
October 10 to 11, the moon glows near the Pleiades star cluster.
October 19, a stunning moon, Venus’s conjunction shines at dusk.
October 21, the Orionids meteor shower peaks with fragments of Hailey’s Comet blazing across the sky.
November 5, Full Moon (Freezing Moon or Baashkaakodin Giizis) or Beaver Moon.
The Friends: Happy Birthday to all of you early October babies! Happy Birthday to my Ceilidh Marie!
Go easy out there on the roads as there are more kids and critters crossing and commuting at this time of year so eyes up! If you are visiting Manitoulin Island, welcome!
You can also visit the Central Manitoulin Township webpage or visit exploremanitoulin.com for updates on all the events happening near you.
Linus: “Just wait ‘til next year, Charlie Brown. You’ll see! Next year at this same time, I’ll find a pumpkin patch that is really sincere and I’ll sit in that pumpkin patch until the Great Pumpkin appears. He’ll rise out of that pumpkin patch and he’ll fly through the air with his bag of toys. The Great Pumpkin will appear and I’ll be waiting for him! I’ll be there! I’ll be sitting there in that pumpkin patch… and I’ll see the Great Pumpkin. Just wait and see, Charlie Brown.”
KAGAWONG
It is one of our favourite times of year in Billings – the salmon run! We love when we get the chance to see them jumping up the falls. Of course, no matter how effishiently the salmon might be able to move, it would be an absolute fluke if one of them made it all the way up. Perch-ance if they were able to get suffishently ca-fin-ated before the attempt? We’ll be honest, it might be time to scale back on some of these puns, but they’ve been reely kraken us up.
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Kagawong Fall Market on the weekend! It was a wonderful afternoon for everyone involved.
Here’s an update on what’s happening with the Kagawong Seniors Active Living Program: Fitness with Kelly runs Thursdays from 9 to 10 am and Monday yoga classes run 9 to 10 am ($5 per class). All activities will be at the Park Centre, anyone over the age of 55 is welcome to join.
The Seniors Active Living Program is also planning a Gratitude Lunch on Wednesday, October 29 at 11:30 am at the Park Centre. Save the date! Come for the food, music, trivia challenge, or to visit with friends. Contact Mary for more information and to reserve your seat, at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca!
Never trust a small salmon. It’s a little fishy.
We wish a very happy birthday to eminent Kagawongians Keith, Kim, Dennis and Jamie. Just remember, when dropping hints about birthday gifts around your loved ones, you need to be specific. Saying, “just get me something with diamonds,” seems clever and cute right up until you unwrap a brand new, shiny pack of playing cards.
If you want to learn about the progress on the Mud Creek Road access survey, there is a public information evening happening on Friday, October 10 from 4 to 8 pm at the Park Centre. The engineering firm that is conducting the study will be on hand in a drop-in setting to provide information, answer questions and collect feedback from the public.
Salmon eggs are so small, you need a mic-roe-scope to see them!
The library board is busy gathering a fantastic collection of items for their annual silent auction. This year’s online auction is November 13 to 16. Sneak peaks at auction items will be posted to FB.com/groups/libraryauction starting in November. Join now to be the first to see what is up for bid.
Although it’s only just barely fall, Billings is planning a sweet spring: the Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival is in the works for March! There will be games, events, vendors, interesting guest speakers and of course food, all with a maple syrup focus. Vendors and baking competitors can pre-register, but tickets for the dinner are not on sale yet. Visit https://manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/ for more information and to register.
Holy Mackinaw! Rumour has it Toronto Maple Leafs announcer Joe Bowen will be coming to History Hockey Day in Kagawong in 2026! The Old Mill Heritage Centre is looking for Manitoulin hockey or NHL memorabilia for an exhibit tied into the day. Please contact Rick at oldmillheritage@billingstwp.ca or 705-282-1442 to reserve your spot in the upcoming Local Hockey Hall of Fame!
Salmon must have a good data plan, since they’re always streaming. Have a great week!
MELDRUM BAY
I didn’t get the Meldrum Bay News in the paper last week, so I want to let you know that two weeks ago Myra Duncanson got high ladies’ and won the money jar with 88 points. Congratulations, Myra! This week Harold Rogers won the money jar and got high man with 83 points; he also had six lone hands. Congratulations, Harold! High lady was Myra Duncanson with 80 points; Bob Benedict got men’s lone hands with three; Mildred Kelly got ladies’ lone hands with eight; most euchres went to Karen Noble with 10; Tom Rumley took home the juice; Rose VanEvery won the 50/50 draw; and the door prize went to Linda Rumley. It was a fun night. Thanks to everyone who came out.
T.J. Murray was at our euchre night. He was kind to us and transported our hygiene kits down to the warehouse in southern Ontario. Thank you, T.J., for helping us out. He said that the people at the warehouse were thrilled to get the kits. Thank you also to the Kits and Quilts people who get together at the Hall every second Tuesday to prepare the items to help people in disaster areas.
This Friday night we will be having the euchre game at the Marina building at the waterfront. Saturday is the funeral for Ginger Morrison and they are preparing the hall Friday night. Our sympathies to Ginger Morrison’s family and friends.
Last Friday morning we once again went to Gore Bay for coffee and lunch at Almaz’s. We got a little shopping done as well.
On Saturday morning we went to Karen’s for her yard sale. Once again, I came home with fresh fruit and veggies although there were many other things for sale. We brought our own lawn chairs (although Karen supplies some) and sat around and visited.
We’ve been picking apples and putting them away for winter pies and other desserts. Our grape vine gave us many grapes as well.
Tuesday chair yoga was cancelled this week. It’ll be back next week.
Thursday the West End UCW had their meeting at the Meldrum Bay Church and Peggy Morrison hosted it. It was a warm and friendly meeting with tea, coffee, juice and goodies afterwards. Rev. Janice Frame was there after having been away visiting her daughter in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She said the weather was nice and they had a good time. It’s nice to have her back.
Rose VanEvery and Diane Jones drove to Sudbury to attend Diane’s aunt’s Making a Difference Award. They brought Diane’s grandson Bear. Diane enjoyed meeting with her family and they shared some good food.
BARRIE ISLAND
We have a little catching up to do in this column as the last two weeks have been busy ones!
Enid and Scott Runnalls had company last week when Enid’s cousin Sylvia Kircher flew in from the Stuttgart area of Germany. Naturally the cooking, visiting and shuttling back and forth to the airport took all their time! It was lots of fun and we hope it won’t be another 32 years before we see each other again!
Ms. Chapman’s Kindergarten class was involved in the Terry Fox run at C.C. McLean Public School and some of the older students were on hand to encourage the little ones to run the track. Micah Runnalls was pleased to report that his cousin Arie Miller ran with him the whole time. Micah was running for his daddy who “runs really fast, but not all the time.’
This past Tuesday, Micah and his class learned about the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. They wore orange to school to recognize those who went to the residential schools.
Last Saturday a huge crowd gathered at the Gore Bay Airport for its grand opening. Airport Manager Robbie Colwell was on hand to welcome the visitors to the impressive facility that will serve not only western Manitoulin but international aviation.
Oliver Runnalls travelled with his Manitoulin Swing Band friends to the Sudbury Curling Club for the funeral of longtime friend Bob Wiseman, who played the coronet with the band for years.
Carolyn Lane-Rock enjoyed a Gore Bay ladies’ golf tournament with friends Bonnie Depencier, Sue Clemenson and Judy Elliot this week. Judy and Carolyn won prizes for being ‘The Most Honest Golfers.’ They came in last, but they had a grand time.
Earlier this week, Wayne Jeffkins and Carolyn, Jim and Sandy, and Scott and Enid enjoyed dinner at Stop 540 in Silver Water. While there they had a visit with Myra Duncanson and her brother Ken who were supping with the Rumleys.
The ladies of Lyon’s Memorial United Church have been sorting and sorting and sorting all week for the rummage sale this week. Sandy Miller was there to lend a hand and reported that the ladies work steadily every morning receiving donations and there is a wonderful comradery in the group as they organize the various items and ‘geegaws’ (that’s Bev Woestenenk’s word for things that have no actual category) onto tables. The local community loves this event and there’s always a huge turnout of support. All monies go to local charities and so this is an excellent example of the ‘Gift Economy’ that everyone seems to be talking about these days. If you want to know more about that, you can read ‘The Serviceberry’ by Robin Wall-Kimmerer.
On Thursday, Oliver Runnalls was accompanied by Jim and Sandy Runnalls to Thessalon for the interment of Nonie Barrow, an old family friend who he will dearly miss.
Enjoy this beautiful fall weather and send me your news!
SILVER WATER
On Friday we went to Meldrum Bay to play euchre.
Saturday morning there was a market in our yard with several vendors and lots of shoppers.
On Monday, we went to Little Current with the car packed full of liquor containers.
Tuesday our car had some new parts put on at McQuarrie’s. We have decided we need to drive it for several more years to get the use out of the parts.
On Tuesday, Doug and Brenda took another load of liquor containers to Little Current for us. The goal of $2,500 for the Angel Bus has been reached. The fundraising will switch to the food bank in Mindemoya now.
Murray and Gladys went to Espanola on Tuesday to spend the night with their son Blake and his family.
On Wednesday, I got up early to go to Espanola to attend a financial literacy course for the day. FCR CPA firm did the training. It was very worthwhile, and I made some notes to implement.
I left Espanola with just enough time to get to Silver Water in time for the hall board annual meeting. The new board is Brenda Carter, Gwen Binsfeld, Paul Sorbara, Donnakay McDonald, Abby Morrison, Lynn Pickard and Amanda Gaul. They have a lot of plans, so stay tuned.
Thursday afternoon, the UCW meeting was held at the United Church in Meldrum Bay. There were 17 ladies. Thank you to Peggy Morrison who hosted us. There are some events coming up. The UCW will be selling baking at the Christmas market on October 25 and at the pancake breakfast on November 16.
There was euchre on Thursday night at the Silver Water Community Hall.
Gladys and I had some short walks in the past week.
Albert and I picked all the squash this week. The garden is getting closer to being empty.
Albert has been picking up some of the trees cut down by the roads crew. He is working on next year’s supply.
I have finished knitting toques for this year’s food bank Christmas baskets and will get the full box delivered soon.
Condolences to the family of Chris Laidley.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
