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Volume 15 No. 16
This past weekend was a mixture of beautiful, sunny weather for opening day at the Ojibway Club, then a Sunday filled with heavy smoke (seen above) from the Quebec fires (according to The ToA), which lifted by early Monday morning after a few small welcome showers overnight (.04″). Then the real rains arrived, thankfully, but only about ½ inch, so not enough to improve the fire danger. Tuesday, we had more smoke, a northwest wind blowing in from Quebec. Hopefully, the strong NE winds will have blown it out of here by today!
Check out this website with the latest fire smoke forecasts in the USA/Canada
So make sure you are aware of the Total Fire Ban Warnings and then join in with PaBIA’s fire pump contest which starts on July 1. Check out the details below!
And by all means, don’t miss our President, Dave Sharpe, on the Ojibway Docks at 3 p.m. on July 1 after the Pointe au Baril Canada Day celebrations at the station. Dave is all pumped up and will be in his full fireman regalia as he starts his (fire)engines! This should NOT be missed!
The water is warm and PaB is beginning to come alive for summer 2023! Hope to see you on the Bay!
In this Eblast:
IMPORTANT
- RESTRICTED FIRE ZONE – NO FIREWORKS, NO FIRE, PERIOD.
PaBIA
- Are You Ready to Win? Firepump Contest Begins July 1
- Be at Ojibway Dock at 3 p.m. July 1 to watch PaBIA President in ACTION!
- On the Water Boater Coaching is Back Starting July 5 – Sign Up in the PaBIA or OC Office
- PaBIA Board Spring Meeting, June 23, 2023
- Literally on the Bay – Woman, Watching
- Ode’min: The Heart Berry by Trudy Irvine, Education Committee
- PaBIA Sailing Race
- PaBIA & Ojibway Sailing Clinics
Of Interest:
- Canada Day 2023
- Entre Amis – Saturday, July 1 at the Ojibway Club – check the times below
- AA & Al-Anon Meetings “The 1906 Group” – Begins July 3rd @ 7 p.m.
- Ongoing Canada/USA Congressional Meetings Regarding the UHT for Americans
- ToA Waste Management – As of June 27, FoodCyclers are Back in Stock!
- Sign up for ToA E-News Link
- GBA June 18 eUpdate for 2023
- Yearbook Update as of June 26, 2023
- Lost – a ramp/dock from A-318
- Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels – June 26, 2023
Of the Utmost Importance
Reminder for Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) in Place in PaB
What does this mean?
- Absolutely NO FIRES (including fireworks) OR BURNING of any kind are permitted during the restriction period.
- Fines may be implemented if the restriction is not followed, and you could be held accountable for the cost of extinguishing the fire.
What should I do if I see a fire or violation?
- If you see someone burning in violation of the Restricted Fire Zone call 1-877-847-7667 to alert a conservation officer.
- If you see a bush fire on crown or park lands that is out of control, call MNRF (Forest Fire Emergency) – 310-FIRE or 911.
To learn more about what is permitted and not permitted in a Restricted Fire Zone, visit Outdoor fire restrictions | ontario.ca
PaBIA
ARE YOU READY TO WIN? START YOUR ENGINES NOW!
PaBIA “Start Your Firepump” Contest – July 1 – 9
Get ready, get set, get ready to go! Read the instructions below about what’s involved and get ready, beginning July 1, to submit your photos & prepare to win one of 5 $100 prizes!
Then join Dave Sharpe on the Ojibway front docks at 3 p.m. on July 1st as he demonstrates how a real Honda Honcho operates his fire pump!
Your Nature on the Bay
Written by Trudy Irvine, PaBIA Director for Education. Each week, Trudy will be bringing Nature to you with her wonderful eye for unfolding a deeper meaning for us all to consider
Ode’min: The Heart Berry
Early summer days mean the ripening of wild strawberries, even amongst the rocks of Georgian Bay. These tough little berries are the first fruit of the year, and the whole plant, from roots to leaves, is a tiny powerhouse of beneficial vitamins and minerals. As such, wild strawberries have been held in sacred regard by the Ojibway people of the area. And as is often the case, the form and growth of the plant is beautifully reflected in Ojibway stories and teachings.
In the Ojibway language, strawberries are known as “ode’min” (pronounced o-day-i-min), “ode” meaning heart, and “min” being the word for berry. Shaped like a heart, and with seeds on the outside, the plant spreads via a system of above-ground stolons. New plants emerge and set down their own roots along these “runners”, creating an interconnected web of individuals.
To the Ojibway people, just as the human heart is connected to all the organs and systems of our body, the heart berries and their runners guide understanding of the interconnectedness of the health, both physical and spiritual, of our bodily systems.
Another teaching reflected in the entwined web of ode’min is the importance of the health of family and community ties. The seeds on the outside of the berry symbolize the vulnerability, humility, and forgiveness important to maintaining healthy personal and community connections. During the strawberry harvest in June, many Indigenous communities hold annual feasts, welcoming everyone home and letting go of differences.
The importance of strawberries to the Ojibway is literally woven through their culture in depictions of the plant in traditional quill art, beading, and painting.
As our summer community arrives and sets down our temporary roots, it is a delight to think of the teachings that the Ojibway people observe from the hardy little wild strawberry and to appreciate how nourishing our connections with each other and with our beautiful natural environment can be.
Literally on the Bay
Book recommendations by Charlotte Stein, owner of Parry Sound Books
Edited by Janet Irving, Education Committee.
There is nothing – absolutely nothing – like reading a book on a summer’s day on Georgian Bay! This summer we suggest some books that are literally set on the Bay – or feel so much so that we just had to include them.
Woman, Watching by Merilyn Simonds is a remarkable biography of Louise de Kiriline Lawrence, a Swedish aristocrat who survived the Russian Revolution to become an internationally recognized ornithologist. Lawrence lived most of her life in Northern Ontario. Merilyn Simonds, infused with her own lifelong love of birds, presents a vivid portrait of a fascinating woman who lived an extraordinary life.
PaBIA Board Spring Meeting – June 23, 2023
Mary Thomson, John Beaucage, Speaker, Lloyd Posno
Mary Thomson, Nancy Rogers, Trudy Irvine, Elise Findlay,
Hilde Clark, Mark Gwozdecky, Michael Phippen
Last Friday, June 23rd the PaBIA Board held our first in-person board meeting of the year at the Ojibway Club. Joined by a long list of honoured guests: PaBIA Committee members, GBA, GBF, GBLT, ToA (Councillors and Staff), GBB, Ojibway Club, OHPS, and Bayfield Nares Islanders’ Association, we welcomed John Beaucage, as our special guest speaker. John is one of Canada’s most respected Indigenous leaders, with a tremendous depth of experience. He was elected as Grand Council Chief of the 42-member First Nations of the Anishinabek Nation in 2004. He was raised on the Shawanaga First Nation and has extended family in Nipissing First Nation. John resides in Parry Sound. John’s background makes him an ideal teacher and guide on Indigenous matters and reconciliation efforts.
John’s talk was nothing short of inspiring. It gave us an emotionally moving and practically empowering notion of what successful reconciliation might look and feel like. He told stories to help us better understand the lives, cultures and experiences of the First Nations all around the Great Lakes area even as far back as the 1300s.
The Board of PaBIA is committed to reconciliation with our Indigenous friends and neighbours. At the beginning of each of our meetings, we share our own Land Acknowledgement.
Thank you, John Beaucage!
PaBIA Sailing Update
PaBIA Sailing 1st & 2nd Race – THIS Saturday
JULY 1 @ 2 p.m.
Be sure to join us for the first race of the season! It’ll be held on the Middle Reach course!
Lots of information is also available on the PaBIA website under Activities/Sailing (https://pabia.ca/sailing/). To be added on to the distribution list of these Sailing eBlasts, and/or have any questions or requests, please contact Andrew Vanderwal.
PaBIA Sailing Clinics at the Ojibway
The dates for Learn to Sail are
Saturday, July 15,
Saturday, July 22,
Sunday, July 31, and
Sunday, August 6.
An Introduction to Racing will be offered Saturday, August 12.
Of Interest
ToA Organic Waste Management – FoodCycler
As of June 27, FoodCyclers are available at the
Township of the Archipelago Office in Parry Sound.
In stock are:
- 27 5 L Maestro FoodCyclers
- 17 2.5L FC-30 FoodCyclers
If you are interested in purchasing a FoodCycler, we strongly suggest you call the office at 705-746-4243 ext 338 to ensure there is stock before your arrival.
This is also a reminder that you:
- you must personally visit the municipal office to both pay and pick up the unit, and
- payment can only be made by debit, cash, or cheque.
Stay Informed with the GBA –
- Get eUpdate – Sign up to have GBA eUpdate delivered directly to your inbox
- Here is the latest – June 16 eUpdate
LOST and FOUND
Swim Dock Lost
This swim dock is missing from Kanadeio, A-318. If you find it, please contact Livia Hunter.
Yearbook Updates
With each eBlast, we will provide you a list of names of those members who have provided updated contact information. The details of all the changes since the 2022 yearbook came out in late April are provided in THIS printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook! As of August 24th, here are the changes.
Duff, Christine (Kirsty) and Gibbs, Andrew (changes)
Fitz, Jamie (addition)
Garnett, Mark (addition, new member)
Gaw, Susan & John (postal code correction)
Prior, George & Moraga-Holz, Mila (changes)
Water Levels
Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels June 26, 2023
To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites
Click on the logo to go to the website
Mark Payne, Sales Representative
Please support PaBIA’s Yearbook Advertisers 2023
This site’s advertising feature was created to provide assistance for special local information & events for existing Yearbook advertisers only.
Emergency
• PaB Nursing Station
• Canadian Coast Guard
Search and Rescue
800-267-7270
• PaBIA Emergency info