YXE Underground

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you! If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar. I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig is once again joining us in Season Eight for Walking With Lisa episodes. We've done several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the seven seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch. This is Lisa's third season on YXE Underground and I am grateful for her support. Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who now works for Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us in Season Eight of the podcast.  The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk (or sit down for lunch, ha ha) and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"In this episode, Lisa uses the current 2016 social media trend as a launching point to discuss why so many people are chasing simplicity in their lives. She also explains how self-reflection can help to shine a light on what really matters in your life. Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. Thanks so much for listening and for supporting a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Empathy and compassion are qualities Brynn Service has in spades, and they are enabling her to make a difference the lives of Saskatoon’s homeless population and those who are at risk of homelessness. Brynn is the Saskatoon supervisor of a national program called Coordinated Access, and she shares why this work means so much to her in this episode of YXE Underground.Saskatoon continues to face the challenges of a growing homelessness population. A point-in-time count conducted on October 16th of last year found that 1,931 individuals were experiencing homelessness. That number is up by 29 percent from 2024. Brynn was one of the people who helped conduct the count and knows the need for people experiencing homelessness to get help is high. She also knows there is a large group of people and organizations who are ready to help, and they are working together to reach people in need. Brynn became the Supervisor of the Coordinated Access program last August. The program is designed to standardize the intake and assessment process for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness under one umbrella. It connects individuals and families to the right housing and other support services as efficiently as possible. The Saskatoon contract for the Coordinated Access program was awarded to Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and the organization hired Brynn to be the supervisor. There are 13 partner organizations in Saskatoon that are a part of the Coordinated Access program alongside Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and as you will hear in our conversation, Brynn loves working with them to make a difference in the community. Those 13 partner organizations are CUMFI, Persons Living with AIDS Network, Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Services, Elizabeth Fry Society, Station 20 West, John Howard Society, YWCA, The Salvation Army, Saskatoon Council on Aging, OUT Saskatoon, EGADZ, Sanctum Care Group, and The Mustard Seed. I have been wanting to feature Brynn for quite some time. She is a Social Worker who has worked in the justice system and with people with Intellectual Disabilities. Brynn is one of those people who leaves you feeling inspired after a conversation, and that was certainly the case for this episode. If you enjoy this episode and are a fan of the podcast, please feel free to leave a glowing 5-star review and share it with your friends. Word of mouth is, I think, the best way to share podcasts, and I really do appreciate your support in spreading the word about YXE Underground.You can find the podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Simply search YXE Underground and you will find some lovely photos of Brynn Service taken by Saskatoon photographer and the pride of Abbey, Saskatchewan, Rona Andreas.A big thank to the wonderful Rob Rongve and his fantastic team at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode. Rob has been a dear friend for many years, and his support of all things YXE Underground means the world to me. If you are looking for someone to help manage your finances or invest your money, I can’t recommend Rob and his team enough. They have been taking care of me for over a decade and I wouldn’t be able to buy all the LEGO I do without their help. Thanks Rob.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello and welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. I’m Eric Anderson and I hope you had a great holiday season.For 13 years, Swinging with the Stars has paired community leaders with professional dancers for a night of entertainment and raising money for the Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation. This year’s event is on Saturday, January 31st at TCU Place, the theme is Broadway, and Chris Sikorsky cannot wait. Chris is the Co-Owner of Sikpics Productions and a Swinging with the Stars Alumni. He is also a Swinging with the Stars Committee Member and was kind enough to share his passion for the event with me for the podcast. We met at Sikpics headquarters in downtown Saskatoon and I had so much fun listening to Chris share stories of why this event means so much to him and his own experiences of being one of the dancers a few years ago. We also touch on why Saskatoon is so great at coming together as a community to support fundraising events like this. I want to mention that Chris and the committee have generously donated two tickets to this year’s Swinging with the Stars event to give away to a lucky listener. I am giving them away on Instagram, so make sure you follow YXE Underground for a chance to win a pair of tickets!And just a reminder that a new episode of the podcast drops Thursday, January 15th, wherever you find your favourite podcasts.Don't forget to leave a 5-star review of YXE Underground if you like what you hear!Thank you for listening and supporting a local, independent podcast in Saskatoon.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

In this bonus episode, we are going to learn about a new and innovative project from Elmwood Residences that will make a real difference in Saskatoon’s disability community.It’s called the Elmwood Community Hub, and you might remember it being discussed in our last episode that highlighted the work being done at Elmwood’s Community Homes throughout Saskatoon. The Community Hub, which if everything goes well will open in 2030, will sit on the grounds of the current Elmwood Manor on Arlington Avenue and will feature a variety of amenities including a performance theatre, life skills kitchen and residential units. I was lucky to sit down with Dani Carr, Maggie Stevenson and Jackie Smith to learn more about the project. Dani is the Executive Director of Elmwood Residences. Maggie is the Manager of Community Engagement for Elmwood.Jackie is a former Elmwood board member whose brother was cared for by Elmwood for many years. I met Dani, Maggie, and Jackie at the Elmwood Manor and we all sat down in one of the board rooms to discuss the Community Hub.Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! Oh, and don't forget to listen to our previous episode exploring Elmwood's Community Homes Program. Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Kyle Danylyshen is one of four residents living in one of Elmwood Residences' community homes for people with intellectual disabilities. For 56 years, Elmwood has supported individuals experiencing intellectual disabilities with the care and services they need to live full and meaningful lives. The organization operates 15 community homes in Saskatoon. These homes have care staff providing 24-hour care, and as you will hear in this episode, the homes are empowering residents with the skills and opportunities to live independently within the greater community.Kyle’s home is on Preston Avenue near Market Mall. It is a one-story house that is fully accessible for people in wheelchairs, including a ramp to the front door and into a large backyard. Kyle has lived here since 2021, and one of his best friends is his roommate, Tiernan Huber, who moved in last August. They quickly bonded through their mutual love of the Saskatoon Blades and being active in the community. They are quite the pair and were an absolute joy to speak with. You will also meet Julien Hendrickson and Linda Boyko from Elmwood in the episode.My thanks to Kyle, Tiernan, Julien, Linda and the entire Elmwood team for making me feel so welcomed during this whole process. This episode was so much fun to produce, and I think you will really enjoy next week’s bonus episode where we learn more about Elmwood's Community Hub Project and the impact it will have on Saskatoon. That episode drops December 18th.You can follow and listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or the website.Don’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. A big thank you to Rob Rongve and his colleagues at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode of the podcast. Rob is one of the most generous and kind people I know, and it means a lot to have his support. I am also grateful to Rob and his team for their care in managing my investments for the past 12 years. If you are looking for someone to help manage your money, Rob is the person to speak with!I would like to acknowledge that these interviews were gathered on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.   Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Welcome to Saskatoon Fire and Flood. It’s a Friday afternoon and Brennen Mills is showing me and my photographer, Rona Andreas, around the building. It’s a really impressive space full of tools and equipment designed to help people recover from an incident such as a house fire. I feel lucky to say I have never had to call on Brennen and his team for their help. In fact, Brennen was not on my radar for podcast guests until his colleague, Candace Chickowski nominated him through the YXE Underground website. Her email was compelling and it really got me thinking of how important communication is in Brennen’s line of work. Here is a portion of Candace’s email that really connected with me and got this episode in motion. Brennen was born and raised in Saskatchewan’s construction industry. He knows this work inside and out, but what makes him different is his ability to see the human side of it. We deal with people going through some of the hardest days of their lives, fires, floods, and major loss and Brennen never lets us forget that we’re not just fixing buildings; we’re helping people get their lives back. Helping those in need and giving back to the community are priorities in Brennen’s leadership style and his personal life. He is the Vice-Chair of the Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation and his willingness is volunteer his time and energy led the SPSF to recognize Brennen and Saskatoon Fire and Flood at this month’s National Philanthropy Day. Here's the thing about Brennen; he would rather talk about anything else than himself, which made for some very funny moments in our conversation when I would press him for a story. You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or on the website: yxeunderground.comPlease feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.You can follow YXE Underground on social media. Simply search YXE Underground on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. That's where you will see some lovely photos of Brennen and his puppy dog taken by Saskatoon photographer, Rona Andreas. My thanks to Rona for her amazing work on this episode. Thank you to my cousin, Andrew Dickson, for creating the original theme music for the podcast.Thank you to Saskatoon’s Danger Dynamite for creating and maintaining the website.These interviews were gathered on Treaty Six territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.YXE Underground is a production of the Salthammer Production Company. Thank you so much for listening and we’ll talk to you soon, Saskatoon.  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. My name is Eric Anderson and it has been a busy week for the podcast.Last Monday, I dropped an episode that took listeners to Beaver Creek Conservation Area to enjoy a Dark Skies event put on by the Meewasin Valley Authority.On Thursday, I spoke with Katayoon Navabi about the Diaspora Film Festival she was helping organize at the Remai Modern. I saw a great documentary yesterday as part of the film festival called Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story. My congrats to Katayoon and her team for putting on such a wonderful event. Today, I am sharing a conversation about an upcoming fundraising event that has raised more than three million dollars since 2007.Choc’la Cure is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to purchase cancer treatment equipment used at the Saskaoon Cancer Centre. It formed 18 years ago and has impacted the lives of so many people in Saskatoon and throughout our province.Choc’la Cure’s annual gala event takes place on November 7th at Dutch Growers, and I learned more about the organization and its impact on the Saskatoon Cancer Centre thanks to Kim Swiatecki, Breanne Cooper and Dr. John DeCoteau. Kim is a volunteer on the Choc’la Cure committee and a previous guest on the podcast way back in season one. Breanne is the Chair of Choc’la Cure, and Dr. DeCoteau is the Medical Director of the Advanced Diagnostic Research Lab at the Saskatoon Cancer Centre. The goal of this year’s gala is to raise money for a new piece of medical equipment for the Cancer Centre, which Dr. DeCoteau explains in fascinating detail in our conversation. I met Kim, Breanne and Dr. DeCoteau at Citizen Café a few weeks ago and learned so much from all of them. Best of luck to the entire Choc'la Cure team on their upcoming fundraiser!Listen and follow YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you enjoyed this episode. I would greatly appreciate it.Cheers...Eric      Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello and welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. I am  excited to share with you an interview with Katayoon Navabi. Katayoon is the Program Director for the Paivand Society, which is a non-profit organization in Saskatoon that promotes cultural dialogue, and is on the organizing committee of the Saskatoon Diaspora Film Festival. This film festival, now in its third year, shows movies that tell stories of migration, immigration, and of people settling into their new homes while trying to create community. It’s taking place this weekend (October 24th-26th) at the Remai Modern’s beautiful theatre, and you can learn more by visiting paivand-society.ca. I was introduced to Katayoon by our mutual friend and amazing human being, April Sora, and I am so glad she made this interview happen because, as you are about to discover, Katayoon is simply wonderful.She is originally from Iran where she grew up in a family that loved to tell stories. Whether it was reading, listening, or cinema, Katayoon, was surrounded by rich storytellers. She attended university in Edmonton before moving to Saskatoon in 2010, and is passionate about sharing stories of migration and immigration with our community. I hope you enjoy this conversation and hopefully see you at the film festival!You can follow and listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or the YXE Underground website. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear!Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello and welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. I’m Eric Anderson, and if you are listener of the podcast, you probably know I am a big fan of the Meewasin Valley Authority.The organization does an incredible job of protecting and enhancing our beautiful river valley, and its conversation efforts are always worth celebrating.Meewasin also puts on really great events, and in this episode, we are highlighting one that takes place at Beaver Creek Conservation Area.Dark Skies at Beaver Creek gives people the chance to explore the wonders of the night sky along with learning how to photograph constellations, galaxies and if you’re lucky, like I was in this episode, the Northern Lights.These Dark Skies events sell out quickly. I know this because I’ve been trying for a few years to get a ticket. It finally happened in late August on a beautiful and clear Friday night. I wanted to do a bonus episode to share with you the joy and wonder of a Dark Skies event, and I hope that comes through in what you are about to hear.  The next Dark Skies event at Beaver Creek will take place on Saturday, November 1st, starting at 7:30pm. A big thank you to the Meewasin team, especially the great Sam Cowan, for making this episode possible. I also want to thank Tim Yaworski, also known as the Living Sky Guy, for sharing his knowledge of the sky and photography with all of us at the event. Be sure to check out Tim's YouTube page to learn more about the stars and how to capture them on your camera. Enjoy the Night Sky, Saskatoon!  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Welcome to Christy Morrissey's acreage.We're about 15 minutes west of Saskatoon on a gorgeous Friday fall morning. The sun is rising and the grass is wet as Christy points a Hairy Woodpecker on an Aspen Tree.Christy Morrissey is an ecotoxicologist and professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan who loves prairie grasslands and wetlands. She is doing important research to protect and preserve these beautiful but fragile ecosystems in Western Canada, which she talks about in this episode.Christy also discusses why is hopeful to see more women in scientific and research roles.I love prairie grasslands, which is kind of ironic because I'm allergic to grass, but I love their subtle beauty, and I think we are so fortunate to have access to beautiful grasslands in and around Saskatoon. I hope that sense of gratitude comes through in this conversation.   You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or on the website: yxeunderground.comPlease feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.You can follow YXE Underground on social media. Simply search YXE Underground on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. That's where you will see some lovely photos of Christy and that woodpecker you heard at the beginning of the episode taken by Saskatoon photographer and emerging birder, Chelsea Klette. I would like to acknowledge that these interviews were gathered on Treaty Six territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.YXE Underground is a production of the Salthammer Production Company. My name is Eric Anderson. Thank you so much for listening and we’ll talk to you soon, Saskatoon.   Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Nuit Blanche is one of my favourite nights of the year in Saskatoon. The festival brings together talented artists from all walks of life to showcase their talents and express themselves under the darkness of a prairie night. There's something about seeing public art in the dark that makes the works unique and special.Xiao Han expresses the uniqueness of Nuit Blanche Saskatoon way better than I can. She is an artist and photographer here in Saskatoon, and  is this year's curator of Nuit Blanche. She sees our community through a special lens, and I think that comes through in our conversation. Xiao explains what listeners will experience on the night of September 20th, why the festival is spread out over three locations (Broadway, River Landing and Downtown) and how this year's theme of "Living In Between" has inspired artists this year.It was such a pleasure speaking with Xiao! We met on a Saturday morning at the large steps that overlook the K.W. Nasser Plaza in River Landing, and it was wondering hearing why this location means so much Xiao. You can learn more about this year's Nuit Blanche Saskatoon by visiting the website and give it a follow on Instagram as well!Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. I hope to see you out and about on Saturday night!Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello and welcome to Season Eight debut of YXE Underground. I’m Eric Anderson and welcome to the University of Saskatchewan’s Physical Activity for Active Living, or PAAL, program.It’s a Wednesday night in late August. I’m in the gymnasium room of the Physical Activity Complex on the UofS campus. There are children and teenagers running and jumping on different obstacles set up throughout the space, and they’re joined by high school and university student volunteers who are helping them make the most of their time tonight.PAAL is a program for individuals of all ages who are experiencing physical and or intellectual disabilities. Its mission is to provide quality physical activity focusing on fun, skill development and social interaction.On this night, the child/teen PAAL program is wrapping up its summer session for youth ages 5 to 18. Half of the class is here in the gymnasium while the other half is downstairs in the pool…which we will visit later on. It’s hard to articulate just how much positivity and joy are taking place in these two spaces, but I hope by the end of the episode, you will be able to feel just how impactful PAAL is for the participants, the student volunteers, and the parents of the children. You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the YXE Underground website, and I am excited to say that you can now listen to the podcast on YouTube! It only took eight years. Simply search YXE Underground on YouTube and you will find all 116 episodes of the podcast.Don’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.A big thank you to Saskatoon photographer Rona Andreas for taking amazing photos for this episode, which you can see on Facebook, Instagram and X. Simply search YXE Underground.Thank you also to Saskatoon’s Danger Dynamite for creating and maintaining the website and to Saskatoon’s Vita Beauty Bar for supporting this episode.Before I go, I would like to acknowledge that these interviews were gathered on Treaty Six territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.Thank you so much for listening and for your continued support!Cheers...Eric Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello and welcome to a special summer bonus episode of YXE Underground. I hope you are having a wonderful summer! One of the highlights of my summer is always enjoying the Saskatoon Fringe Festival. It is put on by Saskatoon's 25th Street Theatre and features artists not only from Saskatoon and Canada, but from around the world as well. The Fringe Festival attracts amazing live theatre productions to our community and brings people together in very unique ways that Philippa Williams explains in this episode of the podcast. Philippa Williams has been with 25th Street Theatre for years, and this year is one of the leaders who is ensuring the festival runs smoothly. I met with Philippa at the Fringe Festival site in W.E. Graham Park in the Broadway neighbourhood to learn more about this year's festival and discover why fringe performers continue to choose Saskatoon as a place to share their talents. Philippa also shares her passion for ensuring the Fringe continues to make a difference in our community. I think you will love our conversation and hopefully it sparks an interest in checking out this year's Saskatoon Fringe Festival!Click here to learn more about the shows being performed at this year's festival and to purchase tickets. The Fringe Festival runs from July 31st to August 9th, and I hope to see you at one of the shows!Don't forget that Season 8 of YXE Underground launches in September!Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you! If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar. I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig is once again joining us in Season Seven for Walking With Lisa episodes. We've done several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the seven seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch. This is Lisa's second season on YXE Underground and I am grateful for her support. Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who now works for Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us in Season Seven of the podcast.  The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk (or sit down for lunch, ha ha) and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"This episode focuses on summer and how so many of us get caught up in trying to do everything during July and August. Lisa shares her wisdom on how we can have a wonderful summer but still feel refreshed by the time September rolls around. She also explains why it's ok for us, and especially our kids, to feel bored, and argues why the word linger should be on the top of our minds as summer begins here in Saskatoon. Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. Thanks so much for listening and for supporting a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

It’s a Saturday night and emerging Saskatoon artist Rowen Dinsmore is hosting her exhibition entitled, “What Gave You That Impression (?)”Friends, family and art enthusiasts are here to check out Rowen’s stunning paintings, which she has been working on in this space for the past two months thanks to the Bridges Art Movement artist collective, also known as BAM.BAM was formed 11 years ago by a group of University of Saskatchewan Fine Arts graduates who were looking for a space to work and showcase their art. Dave Stonhouse was one of those graduates and today he not only leads BAM but works closely Saskatoon artists to help develop their skills and find their artistic voice.At a time when local artists are working hard to find spaces to share their talents, Dave and the BAM collective are ensuring these emerging voices are being heard. I've known Dave for years as he used to teach at Mount Royal with my wife. He currently teaches at Nutana Collegiate and sees the world through such a unique lens, which I think comes through wonderfully in our conversation.We also discuss why working with emerging artists is so fulfilling and how being a father to a very busy 3 year-old boy has changed is relationship with art. You can follow and listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the website: yxeunderground.comDon’t forget to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. This is the final episode of Season 7 of the podcast and I really want to thank all of you listeners for your incredible support this season. We shared a really wide variety of stories this season; everything from yoga for patients in the Adult Short Stay Mental Health Unit at Royal University Hospital to the emphasis put on community by the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. From EAL teachers in elementary and high schools to learning how to safely administer naloxone to a person in distress. We even hosted a movie night at the Remai Modern which was so much fun! We covered a lot this season and I am grateful you can along for the ride. I am also grateful to all of the people who took the time to share their stories and passions with listeners. It’s not easy talking into a microphone and I really do appreciate their courage in telling their stories. I will be taking July and August off to gather interviews for Season 8, which will drop in September, but be on the lookout for a bonus episode or two this summer! And if you know someone or an organization who you think would be a wonderful guest on the podcast, let me know. There is a nomination form on the website or you can email me directly at ericandersonyxe@gmail.com. You can also get in touch with me through social media. Thank you again for all of your support and I hope you have a wonderful summer. Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you! If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar. I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig is once again joining us in Season Seven for Walking With Lisa episodes. We've done several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the seven seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch. This is Lisa's second season on YXE Underground and I am grateful for her support. Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who now works for Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us in Season Seven of the podcast.  The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk (or sit down for lunch, ha ha) and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"This episode features a very special guest star, Ross Neilsen, who happens to be married to Lisa! The three of us discuss the evolving relationship between fans and artists in a social media age. This conversation stems from a recent Jason Isbell concert we attended in Saskatoon (it was an amazing show!) and got Lisa and Ross thinking about the relationships we have with our favourite artists. Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. Thanks so much for listening and for supporting a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon.Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

For more than 50 years, Saskatchewan’s Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathologist communities have advocated for a university program in our province that would educate and train students in these professions.That dream will soon become a reality at the University of Saskatchewan.You will meet Kara Broks and Tami Turner in this episode of YXE Underground. They are designing the province’s first Master’s program in Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology and share with listeners why this work means so much to them. For decades, if you were interested in becoming an Occupational Therapist or Speech Language Pathologist, you had to leave the province. That will change in September of 2026 when the University of Saskatchewan launches Master’s of Speech Language Pathology and Master’s of Occupational Therapy programs. Both of these programs will fall under the School of Rehabilitation Science at the University of Saskatchewan. How these new Master’s programs will work together to meet the demand in our province is just one of the questions I had for Kara Broks and Tami Turner. Kara is an SLP, creator and owner of the Speech Language Network business in Saskatoon, and is the Speech Language Pathology Implementation Coordinator with the UofS. She was also the third ever guest on this podcast in 2018. Tami is an Occupational Therapist who has worked with universities across Canada developing OT programs and recruiting students and is the Occupational Therapist Implementation Coordinator with the UofS.They have worked together for the past year building these new Master’s programs from scratch, with the help of many new colleagues, and are so excited for the positive impact it will have on people throughout Saskatchewan. Kara and Tami are passionate about making a difference in our communities and I love how they have become dear friends through this process. You would never guess they didn’t know each-other until the university tasked them with creating two new Master’s programs. I met with Kara and Tami last week in the University of Saskatchewan’s Health Sciences building to learn more about how all of this came to be and the impact their work is going to have in our communities.Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the YXE Underground website. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. Positive reviews really do make a difference in getting the podcast discovered by more people so thank you in advance for your help!Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. Cheers...Eric    Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

It’s an overcast Saturday morning in late March and Station 20 West, located on 20th Street West and Avenue L South, is buzzing with activity.People have gathered to learn more about Naloxone, how to safely administer it to someone overdosing from opioids, and to talk about what can be done to help our community get through this difficult point in time.Saskatoon’s drug and overdose crisis has been all over the news. A CBC story notes the Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to 935 overdose incidents or suspected opioid poisonings since the start of the year. That’s compared to 376 incidents in the same time period last year.The Saskatoon Library closed two branches for a month over safety and overdose concerns, and Prairie Harm Reduction, which we have featured on the podcast several times, temporarily paused its operations in March to give its staff an opportunity to deal with the trauma they are seeing every day in our city. I think the local media and the Hard Knox Talks podcast have done an exemplarily job of telling the stories amidst this crisis, and I struggled to find a way to get into the crisis through the podcast. Then I learned about this gathering at Station 20 West and thought there might be some people who would be willing to share their stories. So my wife and I went on this Saturday morning and we met some pretty incredible people. We also learned how to administer Naloxone, which you will hear in this episode.We met Colleen Christopherson-Cote, Board Chair for Station 20 West, University of Saskatchewan doctoral candidate, Maryellen Gibson, and  Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan, Barbara Fornssler. My sincere thanks to them for sharing their passion for helping others and their community in this episode. You can listen and follow YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on the website. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like you what you hear. These reviews help the podcast get into more podcast feeds so I really do appreciate the support. Cheers...Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground featuring a really wonderful person named Kyle Zurevinski. He is the Digital Media Program Assistant at the Remai Modern Museum and one of his largest responsibilities is curating and facilitating the film program at the museum. I have had the pleasure of working with Kyle on a few community projects in my role at Sherbrooke Community Centre over the past few years and he's just really great guy who loves his community and loves bringing people together. Kyle brings people together by selecting thought-provoking, interesting and compelling films to the Remai, and we discuss how he chooses the movies in this episode. He also talks about the role movie theatres can play in forming community in Saskatoon and what it feels like to experience watching a film in a packed theatre. I am so excited to be partnering with Kyle and the Remai Modern for a special community screening of the Pixar classic film, Wall-E, on April 17th. The show is free to the public (bring the entire family!) and will be screened at the Remai's theatre which you can find on the second floor. It starts at 7pm and I will be giving away free YXE Underground swag to everyone who comes! I love Wall-E and I think it connects in so many meaningful ways to the mission and values of the podcast. We will also be screening the short film that Saskatoon videographer, Molly Schikosky, and I made last summer to celebrate all things YXE Underground. I can't wait to see it on the big screen! I hope to see you on April 17th and a big thank you to Kyle for not only being on the podcast but for making this community screening event happen. You are awesome, Kyle!!Cheers...Eric   Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis  

Welcome to Valerie Veillard’s sitting room. There’s tea and snacks on the coffee table in front us and she’s flanked on her couch by Nathalie Baudais and Twyla Yobb. Between the three of them, they have decades of experience in sponsoring refugees and helping them settle in Saskatoon. Valerie, Nathalie and Twyla are part of a sponsorship group working with the Mennonite Central Committee to bring a refugee family from Afghanistan to our city. The Jamili family has been waiting for months to learn if they will begin a new life in Saskatoon, while Valerie and the team have been working behind the scenes to ensure they will get to Canada safely. That means filling out forms, fostering relationships with organizations like the Saskatoon Open Door Society, and fundraising…lots and lots of fundraising.The group has already sponsored the settlement of two adult children from the Jamili family, and it is hoping to soon reunite the family here in Saskatoon. The world of refugee sponsorship is new to me, and I am grateful to Valerie, Nathalie and Twyla for walking me through the process of how it works, and why they commit so much of their time and energy to helping others in this way.If you would like to help bring the Jamili family to Saskatoon, please click the link below.DONATEYou can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Goodpods or on yxeunderground.comPlease feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. These positive reviews help the podcast show up in more podcast feeds so I really do appreciate the support. You can follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Simply search YXE Underground.I want to thank Rob Rongve and his team at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode. Rob has been an incredible supporter of the podcast since day one and I really appreciate his continued generosity and kindness. If you need someone to manage and invest your money, you need to meet Rob and his team at RBC Dominion Securities.I also want to let you know of an exciting event I am working on with the Remai Modern. Please mark April 17th on your calendar as that’s when YXE Underground will be presenting a movie at the Remai Modern’s lovely theatre beginning at 7pm. We will be showing the short film Molly Schikosky and I made last summer celebrating the podcast followed by the Pixar classic, Wall-E because it’s one of my favourite movies of all time and I think it connects nicely to YXE Underground in meaningful ways. The Remai does this with other community organizations who select a movie for the public to watch for free and it’s really cool to partner with the gallery in this way. Plus, it’s free to attend!So I would love to see you on the night of Thursday, April 17th, to celebrate the podcast and watch one of the best films of the past 20 years. Oh, and there will be free podcast swag if you come!Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. Cheers,Eric  Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis