PaBIA eBlast June 14, 2017

  Volume 9 No. 2

Welcome to the 2017 Summer PaBIA eBlasts!  As a member, you receive these, one each week, all summer long to help you know all that is going on in Pointe au Baril and that which affects us as an integral part of all of Georgian Bay! We do live in a paradise unparalleled elsewhere in the world…and we want to not only enjoy it but protect and preserve it as well!

We hope you will consider joining in to all or some of the events – from Regattas  to Triathlons (for our Junior members 19-35); from Naturalist programs to sailing; from safety clinics to Canada Day 150 at the PaB Community Centre.

We look forward to seeing you soon!!!

PRESEASON

Knowing where the PaBIA WAJAX firepumps are located could save part of your island should the unbelievable catastrophe happen to your cottage.

Living off shore, where city services are NOT present, brings with it inherent joys but also risks – and those risks we usually don’t focus on. What would the consequences be of not knowing?

Take a second and really think about it, what would you do if a fire broke out in your cabin’s kitchen? What would your family think to do if you weren’t on the island at the time?

Do you have a fire pump on your island property? What make is it? When was the last time it was used?  Does your family know how to start it? Would your hoses work with the PaBIA WAJAX pumps?  How close to your place are the PaBIA fire pumps?  Should each island owner designate someone to go retrieve it in the scenario where it would be needed?

Have you ever thought about playing games with the fire hose to see who can shoot the water the furthest?  Those games could, one day, save your cottage/island and save a life!

Have you ever thought of taking the time to learn about what is necessary should the unforseen happen?  Wouldn’t you want to know what are important steps you could take that could save your island, or even better, your family? Look for signs for Fire pump demonstrations

Get details for all events, some which require pre-registration, at www.pointeaubarilcommunity.ca

Check us out on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/PointeAuBaril150CanadaDayCelebration/

WPSHCF Walk, Pole, & Run May 17 A great big thank you to all of our friends in Pointe au Baril from the West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation Team!  In appreciation, Lynne Atkinson, WPSHCF

As many of you know we have just completed the 10th anniversary of our cardiac run The Georgian Bay Walk, Run, Pole – Do It For Life.  We have had some long term great supporters participate from the Pointe au Baril area in our annual event.  This year was amazing, the two Pointe au Baril teams outdid themselves.  First:  Helen & Doug Bryce and Susan Bongard and Malcolm Marsh worked with you to secure the highest team pledge amount for $9,760!!!! Wow!

Then: Desmasdons Boat Works, an annual $5,000 route sponsor in our event, had 18 participants running or walking along the route and raised an additional $6,200 in pledges for a total of $11,200.

Because of Pointe au Baril participation, our revenues from the event for our very important cardiac care were increased by $20,960.  I know Helen is keen to start a competition between the various cottage associations within the geographic area that our Health Centre serves.  You go Helen and team.  We are right behind you.  It’s that kind of dedication that keeps hospital care local and here when you need it.  Thank you everyone!   Have a happy safe summer!

Here are some of the over 900 books delivered to Nancy and Jim Roger’s home in early May direct from the printer!  Can you imagine having all this room taken up in your dining room with 25 boxes???  It is truly a labour of love that she devotes to getting these books readied for mailing!

Once opened, Nancy has the task of filling each envelope with not just the book, but also each person’s customized order of burgees and off season cottage patrol stickers!

These envelopes are addressed to our members all over the world: United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Philippines, Switzerland, USA, as well as to Canada!

And then, as each box is filled with all that is necessary for each member, it is neatly stacked (as Nancy of course would do) next to the lighthouse painting above the stacks!  Now they are ready for Jim’s strong arms (and back) to help Nancy schlep all the 900 envelopes to the post office.

I’m certainly very glad that I’m not the postal clerk who has to deal with all of these!  But over the years, Nancy has developed a great rapport with these folks and lucky for all of us that these envelopes are distributed so promptly by the postal service.

Dan & Jan’s Educational Fact ’17    Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for adult Common Loons

Lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for adult Common Loons, accounting for hundreds of adult loon deaths over the last 25 years.  These deaths are completely preventable by using non-lead fishing tackle.

• Switch to lead-free tackle made from non-toxic materials such as bismuth, tin, tungsten, steel, and ceramics (please note that zinc-containing tackle is not recommended because it is also toxic to wildlife!)
• Go through your tackle box and dispose of old lead tackle properly
• Ask your local sporting goods store to carry lead-free fishing tackle
• Reel in around loons
• Educate others about the dangers of lead fishing tackle and ask them to use non-lead alternatives (and see our page of Online Retailers)
• Attend or host a presentation or a lead tackle exchange event

• Ingested lead tackle is fatal to loons
• Early signs of lead poisoning include abnormal behavior, but progress to include diarrhea, weakness, tremors, gasping and muscle paralysis.
• Loons with late stage lead poisoning will exhibit tremors, gasping, inability to fly, and will eventually pull themselves up on shore
• A loon will die within 2-4 weeks of ingesting lead fishing tackle
• Adult fatality can also result from loons becoming easy targets for predators
• Parental care of chicks decreases with adult lead poisoning and leads to increased chick mortality.

Although lead is toxic to all wildlife, birds are particularly at risk of lead poisoning because they often hold lead objects in the gizzard rather than passing them through their digestive systems.  According to the US EPA, there are 75 species of birds at risk from lead tackle.  The species on the list below are known to have died from ingested lead fishing tackle.

• Bald Eagle
• Waterfowl (including Common Merganser, Mallard, American Black Duck, Canada Goose)
• Swans (including Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan)
• Herons (including Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron)
• Gulls & Terns (including Herring Gull, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern)

Dave Sharpe Takes on Marketing!

It just seemed like the natural thing to do: to ask Dave Sharpe, who had already come on board PaBIA’s team as our new Membership Chair, to ask him if he’d also take on the position as PaBIA’s new Marketing Chair!  He has already shared his expertise and wisdom this spring as PaBIA works to get its message out to not only our members, but also those to whom we’d welcome to have join!  “As a volunteer and member-supported association, we count on all of our community to pitch in for the common good.” ~ Dave

Please check out this paddle boat…might it be yours.  Our off season patrolman, Bruce Tiffin, found this boat just north of B816-1 in a small cove back bay SW of Gronkuwa Island.  Please contact Nancy Rogers if you believe it to be yours!

 September 24th