December 2017 PaBIA eNewsletter

Giving the Gift of PaBIA

Need a good gift idea?

Please consider the gift of a PaBIA membership for your adult children who are not yet members:

1. $40 for Junior Membership (no cottage patrol or GBA Updates) or
2. $175 for Full Membership

If you would like to do this, please contact Nancy Rogers ASAP so she can set up the gift for you.

PaBIA is making every effort to keep current the 2018 Calendar on our website so that you can access information and make your summer plans accordingly. As we learn of the Ojibway Club’s events, we will also have those dates on the calendar as well!

We thank again our webmasters, Dave Anderson and Alexander Hepburn, for their dedication to keeping everything current and relevant, which is no easy task! Suggestions for improvements are always welcomed.

Calling All Marine Patrol Candidates for

2018 Summer Program!

The Pointe au Baril Islanders’ Association (PaBIA) is looking for student candidates for its Marine Patrol Program to continue focus on environmental and key safety issues that impact our water based community. PaBIA is seeking qualified college and university students with a strong interest in the local environment, protecting community quality of life, and promoting better boating safety.

Employment Period: Sunday, June 24th to Monday, September 3rd, 2017

(Training week is from June 24th to June 29th).

Selected students will serve as members of the Marine Patrol, and support an active partnership with local Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT) property stewards, monitor GBLT and Crown land use, educate the public in boating safety and the environment, conduct water testing, and collect much needed data to document environmental impacts on our community.

As members of the Marine Patrol, key responsibilities and duties include:

• Promote environmental responsibility by monitoring/cleaning-up local Crown land recreational areas,
• Partner with the GBLT stewards to monitor and maintain local properties,
• Coordinate Phragmites monitoring program,
• Conduct water quality testing of representative PaB sites,
• Support any first response to a local emergency,
• Promote safe and courteous boating practices in local waters,
• Educate members and visitors on proper use of GBLT and Crown lands,
• Provide cottage visits, when requested by member families,
• Document and report any infractions, issues, concerns to the PaBIA MP supervisor,
• Document all activities in detail on the Marine Patrol database that provides PaBIA with essential data to establish stakeholder credibility in applicable local issues. 

Please note that candidates must have the following requisites:

• Good communication skills; written and verbal.
• Capability to commute by water,
• Possess a current boat operator’s license,
• Good seamanship and ability to steer a 23 foot centre console boat in most weather conditions,
• Knowledge of the PaB area,
• Access to accommodation in the PaB area.

If any of your young adult children are interested, a more detailed job description will shortly be found on PaBIA’s website. Please feel free to share this with them so that they might consider spending the summer in Pointe au Baril! The DEADLINE for receipt of all resumes is February 23, 2018. Please submit a cover letter and resumé with references by email to: Cath Fairlie, Marine Patrol Supervisor AND Nancy Rogers, PaBIA Secretary – Treasurer.

The 2018 Habitat for Humanity build in Pointe au Baril is taking shape. Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve has helped us identify a favorable building location to avoid disturbing species at risk on the donated North Shore Road property. Our house design is taking shape as well.

Friends and neighbors from all walks of life will work together to build this simple, attractive, affordable house for a selected partner family. It will be financed with an affordable, no-interest mortgage, geared to the families’ financial circumstances. This is an opportunity for islanders and village residents to learn new skills, make new friends while helping others, using efficient Habitat for Humanity management and donations of money and materials.

For Americans

• To make an online tax-deductible donation, donate here! Fill out the form by scrolling down. In order to designate it specifically to the Pointe au Baril build, once you have filled in all the financial information, please check Optional details (as seen on the right). The Gravenhurst office for H4H will direct the funds to the Pointe au Baril Build project.
• Or call (800) 422-4848 (800-Habitat) and designate funds for Pointe au Baril build Project
• Or call Ontario Gateway North (705) 646-0106 ext. 210

Pointe au Baril Habitat for Humanity committee leaders:

Tonia Blenkarn, Coco Brennan, Bob Fisher, Toby Cavers, Hilde Clark, Sted Garber,

Helen Garber, Jane Marshall, Rob Muir, Nancy Rogers, Elizabeth Rambeau