Providence Bay
Alexia Hannigan
Alexia here with your deer and moose fly! As the silly season and big chill comes closing in, the blaze orange hunt gear gets front and centre and everyone begins closing-in on their stands and restocking the freezers and pantries ahead of the winter. The outdoor markets and fairs are tucked away now, and the Santa Claus parades, Christmas parties, toy and food drives are full speed ahead of the full stop and holiday break. This is the time where the collective takes an inventory literally as well as mentally and emotionally. How has this year been for you, for me, for us? Did we learn anything new? Did we accomplish any of our goals? Did we create some lasting, crucial memories and moments with family and friends? Are we ready for the close of 2025 and the beginning of a new year? Are we better going out than we were coming in? These are important touchpoints and takeaways. My Mantra and goal for the new year have levelled up for sure with more focus on health, happiness and time with family, friends, knowledge keepers and dream weavers.
Here’s what’s happening:
Providence Bay Arena and Fairgrounds: The Providence Bay Fall Vendor Market on Saturday, October 18 was a tremendous success! Looking forward to the start of the skating and hockey season – stay tuned for updates!
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 call 705-377-5726.
Exercise classes continue Fridays at 9 am.
Providence Bay Community of Christ Church: Joys and community updates are Sundays 10:30 am; service is Sundays at 11 am. Check the Providence Bay Community of Christ Facebook page for announcements and updates!
Providence Bay Curling Club: Everyone is welcome at the Providence Bay Curling Club! Junior Curling is back Saturdays starting November 8 until the end of March. Ages SK to Grade 8. Equipment provided, $25 per curler. For more information go to provcurling.ca/junior.
The Lions Club: The Lions 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. Are you interested in becoming a Lions Club Member? Contact the Providence Bay / Spring Bay Lions club Facebook page for details on how you too can give back to your community!
The Providence Bay and Spring Bay Lions progressive “Catch the Ace” lottery continues to benefit the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary Inc.
Food Drive: Thanks to everyone who came out and dropped off donations in support of MFR, it was another successful Food Drive! Good Luck to all who entered our giveaway basket draw, winner will be announced before Friday – check my social for updates!
The Horses: Horse show announcement! There will be a Horse Show on Sunday, October 26th at the Providence Bay Fairground Horse Paddock, stay tuned to the Manitoulin Horse Enthusiasts Club for details and updates.
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 21 and October 22, the Orionids meteor shower peaks with fragments of Halley’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 late October babies! Happy Birthday weekend to Steven D, Zeke, Tyler, Wade, Gail, Anne and all the other cool people celebrating! Hope all of your wishes come true.
Be good to each other, take it one day at a time, welcome the silly season with grace and calm and remember not to take life so seriously, we’re all in this thing together, doing our best, rise to each occasion and enjoy yourself.
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face”– Victor Hugo
Kagawong
Team Fergmeijer
It’s spooky season again and Team Fergmeijer always enjoys getting into the spirit of things. We got together last weekend to try and reach the ‘other’ side. It wasn’t until we managed to contact the departed spirit of a window washer that we realized we’d been mistakenly using a squeegee board.
To be filed under “current events”, there will be an Island-wide power outage Sunday, October 26 from 7 am to 3 pm. Take note and plan accordingly. Remember, power outages are no laughing matter: they’re too dark.
Oh my gourd, Kagawong is creeping it real with a special event on Friday, October 31 at the Kagawong Park Centre, courtesy of the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee. More details coming boo-n!
Many happy returns to Jack O and Rachel B who are celebrating their 29th birthdays this week. The older you get, the better you get. Unless you are a banana. Also, does ‘many happy returns’ sound like a Costco refund policy to anyone else?
The library is hosting a fall puzzle swap on Saturday, November 1. Freshen up your collection just in time for the snow to fly. Stop in between 10 am and 1 pm to trade your used puzzles for new-to-you jigsaws. No puzzles? No problem. They have plenty to go around!
The Seniors Active Living Program is planning a potluck lunch on Saturday, November 8 at 11:30 am at the Kagawong Park Centre. Reserve a seat by contacting Mary at 705-348-2285 or seniors@billingstwp.ca!
Thank you to the museum board for their efforts to honour local veterans through the flags hung throughout the village. Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming annual Remembrance Day service on Tuesday, November 11.
Dear ghosts, if you can move things around and flicker lights, you can use a mop. Have a great week!
Meldrum Bay
Elaine Bradley
Friday night at cards there were four tables. High lady was Brenda Carter with 76 points, she was close to winning the money jar, we wish you better luck next week; high man was Bob Benedict with 68 points; most ladies’ lone hands went to Elaine Bradley with three; most men’s lone hands went to Doug Carter with three; Rick Bradley won for most euchres with nine; Anne Steele took home the juice and she won the 50/50 draw as well; Murray Duncanson won the door prize. It was a very nice evening. Thanks to everyone who came.
That weekend was Thanksgiving and many of the homes had lots of vehicles as family and friends celebrated their time together. In addition, Alison decided to organize a Thanksgiving dinner at the hall. Rose did the decorations, fall flowers arranged in mini pumpkins. It was a fantastic meal. We were delighted to have Bud come out and share it with us. Next week is his 90th birthday. We sang Happy Birthday and passed around the cake. It was a wonderful get-together. Sunday there was another get-together at the hall as well.
Sunday was the Thanksgiving service at the church. This coming week will be last service until hunting season.
Our cat has a couple of trips this week to the vet in Mindemoya. He was not impressed but we were very pleased with help we were given. He seems to be on the mend.
The fall colours are beautiful. We thought that to enjoy the colours we would drive to Randi’s in Sheshegwaning. The burgers were fantastic. It was nice to see Marcus and say hello.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Barrie Island
Enid Runnalls
The lovely summery days of autumn have finally given way to cooler temperatures. The other day we saw our first fall frost in low lying areas on Barrie Island. We will need to soon cut down and shelter our geraniums. Nevertheless, the tomatoes are still ripening on the vine and flowers continue to bloom in the midday sunshine.
The farmers have had a few warm dry days this week to begin the ploughing, but the imminent rainy forecast will force a holiday.
Families gathered for the long weekend Thanksgiving holiday. Sandy and Jim Miller had their daughters and families join them at the cottage. Then on Saturday there was a feast for 17 around Carolyn Lane-Rock’s table that included Oliver and Barb Runnalls, Richard Runnalls, Scott and Enid Runnalls, Katie, Cameron and Reece Carter and Micah Runnalls, Moya and Jeff Rothwell and daughter, Lucy and Livvy, Ben Nad Fiona Perry and sons, Griffin and Rowan. I think that might be 18 people, but who’s counting – there was enough turkey for everyone.
Also in the neighbourhood, the Wayne Jeffkins family – Alison and Robert Godwin and their children Effie, Chesley, and Roslyn, as well as Andrew and Christina from Ottawa gathered for a feast on the North Line. They enjoyed turkey and all the fixings. I think Carolyn Lane-Rock was there too. She seems to get into everything.
The North Line also had a gathering of the Beanges, as Edith and Elwood hosted daughter Linsey and her son Noah Landrey, Garth Baker and his son Todd, and Adam Runnalls and his partner Katie.
The next day, Cameron and Reece and Micah headed to the East Bluff for a Carter Family Thanksgiving, lots of fun in the beautiful fall landscape! Then the Miller clan moved their giant group over to McGregor Bay where they celebrated again with Bruce and Anne, Bridget and Chris, Sue and Dag, Martine and a few friends. It was a big day of boating in and out!
Later on in the week there was a cross-country meet at the Gore Bay Manitoulin Golf course. Various Barrie Islanders were out to cheer their runners on, and the C.C. McLean Colts team pulled out all the stops and did very well. It was a beautiful sunny warm day for that run.
The Gordon and Barrie Island Culture and Rec Committee, led by Councillor Isobel Harry, met this week and planned a whole year of events for the local community to enjoy, young and old. On the list for today is the ‘Decorate Your Gate’ event and the judges should be rolling up at any minute. Then on November 6 Terry Land will be presenting a talk entitled “Bring Birds to your Backyard.” Wayne and Anne Aelick will be selling birdhouses and feeders. In early December the Community Hall at Noble Side Road will be hosting the annual Christmas Market! There’s lots to do!
Enjoy the rainy weather and call me if you have news to share.
Silver Water
Karen Noble
On Friday afternoon I cooked a turkey. Luckily it was a small turkey and was done before I left for euchre in Meldrum Bay.
Saturday morning, Albert Meijer and I went to Gore Bay to attend the Rotary’s Fall Produce Auction. They had collected a huge number of items to help raise funds. We left before it was over to get home to finish cooking dinner for our guests. Thank you to everyone who donated to the auction and for everyone who came out to shop. A big thank you to all the Rotary members and any other volunteers who organized the event. A lot of work for such a success.
Saturday Doug and DonnaKay McDonald and family used the hall for their Thanksgiving dinner.
Sunday Murray and Gladys Duncanson and family were at the hall for their turkey dinner.
Monday afternoon, the recycle bins were open from 1 to 2 pm. We collected a lot of cans and we pulled off all the tabs for the contest in Espanola.
On Monday evening we went to euchre at the Burpee Mills Complex.
On Thursday, Albert Meijer and I drove to Little Current to take one more load of recycling to the Beer Store. When we arrived there was a big sign on the door that said they were no longer accepting empties (cans). We turned around and ended up in Kagawong to get rid of the carload.
TJ and Nathan showed up at 6:30 pm with our nine bushels of apples from Woodstock. It will be applesauce and pie making time on rainy cold days.
There was euchre at the Silver Water Community Hall on Thursday night.
Condolences to the family of Jack Nunes.
