05/13/2026
The Ardbeg Gazette – Issue #4
Where the coffee is hot, the fellowship is steaming, and the community spirit is stronger than Troy’s tea.
Spring has officially arrived in Ardbeg, which means the snowbanks are gone, the potholes are blooming,
and everyone is suddenly remembering they own rakes. While some folks are busy untangling extension
cords and searching for lawn chairs that blew away last fall, the Ardbeg Community Club has been
buzzing with activity, laughter, and enough projects to keep craft manufacturers in business for years.
Library Mondays Are Back… and So Are the Crafting Geniuses
The Library has returned to the club and Monday gatherings are already proving to be a huge success. On
May 4th, participants created sublimation mugs, and judging by the excitement level, you would have
thought people had discovered gold at the bottom of their coffee cups. Creativity was flowing, laughs
were loud, and apparently several mugs may now be considered family heirlooms.
There will not be a Library session on May 18th due to the holiday, so don’t panic if you show up with a
glue gun and nobody’s there. The good news is they’ll be back June 1st for glass etching, and from what
we hear, this one is going to be fantastic. If you’ve ever wanted to make your drinking glasses look classy
enough for company instead of “survived three camping seasons,” now is your chance.
One of the best parts about these Mondays is that you don’t even need to join the scheduled project. Have
your own craft, knitting, painting, scrapbook, half-finished birdhouse, or mysterious Pinterest project
sitting at home collecting dust? Bring it along! The Library staff are amazing and always willing to lend a
hand, offer ideas, or rescue projects that may have gone slightly sideways. They are also looking for
feedback while sorting out future programming, so if there’s something you’d love to learn or try at the
club, speak up! They genuinely want to bring activities the community will enjoy.
You can stop in and chat with them directly or email the Library front desk at
[email protected].
And remember — if there’s a specific book you’d like brought out to the club, just let them know. It’s
basically like curbside pickup… but friendlier and with more conversation.
Grant Update – The Club Glow-Up Is Coming
Big things are happening behind the scenes at the club. We are currently finalizing paperwork and
organizing all the details for the upcoming renovation project. Paperwork may not sound exciting but trust
us — this is the part that eventually leads to fresh improvements and prevents the siding from continuing
its long-standing tradition of “hanging on by determination alone.”
We are incredibly excited to see the club get a well-deserved facelift. The goal is to preserve the heart and
history of the building while giving it some updates that will help keep it thriving for years to come.
We’ll continue sharing updates as timelines and plans become official.
Most importantly: the club will remain open during renovations. So even if you hear hammering in the
background or spot someone carrying lumber through the hall, community events, laughter, coffee visits,
and gatherings will continue rolling right along.
Free WiFi… Yes, Even in the Parking Lot
If you haven’t heard yet, the club now has free WiFi thanks to the municipality. Whether you need to
check your email, scroll Facebook, pay a bill, or pretend you’re working while actually watching fishing
videos, the connection is available for community use.
And yes — you can even access it from the parking lot when the club is closed. Which officially makes
the Ardbeg Community Club one of the fanciest parking lots in the area.
Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting will be held on May 27th at 7 PM, and everyone is welcome to attend.
Want to know what’s happening at the club? Have ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Curious where all the
extension cords disappear to? Come on out and be part of the conversation. Community clubs only work
when communities show up, and every voice matters.
Sweater/ T-Shirts Weather Is Coming
The sweater/T-Shirts order has officially gone in, and the response was fantastic. Apparently people really
do enjoy looking stylish while supporting their community.
If you missed the order, don’t worry — we ordered a few extras. Check at the club to see if your size is
available. Once these sweaters start appearing around town, we expect at least a 40% increase in
community pride and possibly several spontaneous compliments at the gas station.
Thank you to everyone who supported the order. Every purchase helps support the club and reminds
people that Ardbeg knows how to show up in style.
Remember the Bell 2026 – We Need Your Memories
The search continues for old photos and memories for the Remember the Bell 2026 group. This
wonderful project focuses on the one-room schools from the area — and yes, the Ardbeg Community
Club itself was once one of those schools.
There’s something special about preserving these stories before they disappear. Old class photos, school
events, teacher stories, report cards, recess adventures, or memories about walking miles to school in
snow deep enough to lose a boot in — they all matter.
If you have photos or stories to share, please visit:
Remember the Bell 2026 Facebook Group
You never know what memory might spark someone else’s story.
Meet Our Executives/Board Members We will introduce one or two members a month.
President – Troy Burgess
My name is Troy Burgess. I am the current President of the Ardbeg Community Club. I've been part of
the club for 20+ years, after Floyd Woods found out I played guitar. I’ve met so many members of my
community there and learned of the history of my little town.
My husband and I came to this town to build our retirement home and live out our chosen life on the lake.
We turned a hunt camp into our home and have been livin' the life ever since.
I was born in Toronto then shortly after, moved to our farm in Ajax Ontario, where I was surrounded by
horses and farm boys...teehee.. Later in life my husband and I moved to Innisfil, to be halfway between
work and Parry Sound.
After music stopped being played at the club, I would drive by it every day watching it deteriorate. I was
eventually invited in to renovate the place. 5 years later...Here we are! The walls are echoed with music
and laughter every Tuesday and Thursday nights.
What keeps me glued to the club is the connections I've made to the people in this community. My
favorite memory would be working alongside with Norm Stiles and his team of volunteers. I call him my
"lil Boyfriend."
What I love most about this club is the good hearted, giving, and caring people it attracts. I have not been
used to meeting the "Good people" in my line of work as a Toronto Police Sergeant. I enjoy being part of
the Good.
My hobbies and pastimes are my beautiful, treasured grandkids. I have 3. Two are in Dunchurch and the
other little one is in Barrie. I do a lot of Babysitting. I've also just started a "Staging " business, because I
wasn't busy enough LOL that's going well. I love cooking, gardening, wood working, restoring furniture.
I could go on, but my favorite thing in life is music of any kind. It moves my soul.
Being Scottish, I've been a tea drinker since birth. I'm definitely an outside kind of gal. Camp fires,
fishing, swimming and sunning. DO NOT call me in the morning! I'm definitely a night owl. If I had to
describe myself in 3 words it might be, energetic, creative and loving. Although I can be the opposite
quite often.
I am most proud of my family. We come together every Saturday for brunch. The men in my life, my
father, then my husband are the ones who've inspired me the most. They are always positively supportive,
encouraging and never short on love.
The Ardbeg Community Club is so important to me because it's the result of the community coming
together for a greater GOOD. If you need good company and a reason to get out and about, come join us.
We’d love to have you!
Troy
And that dear readers… is front page news
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