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
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?"In this 'Walking With Lisa' episode, Lisa and I met for brunch at Hometown Diner and we explore the complex topic of forgiveness. We do this through the lens of the popular television show, Shrinking, and Lisa shares so many wonderful insights and reflections on a topic that can be hard for people to grasp at times. I struggle with forgiveness and so I really appreciate Lisa showing me its benefits, and how long the road can be to forgiveness, in our conversation. 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
A cancer diagnosis at any age is scary and life changing, but receiving this news the you are at a point in your life where having children, starting a family or growing your family is on your mind, raises a different set of challenges. Saskatoon's Prairie Cancer Fertility Preservation charity supports cancer patients when it comes to fertility challenges. Helping patients navigate fertility issues during a cancer diagnosis is something Dominique Paulgaard and Lierin Baerg do in their roles as nurses at Royal University Hospital and with their charity, Prairie Cancer Fertility Preservation. The charity was started three years by a group of oncology nurses in Saskatoon and today features Jessica Smith, Taylor Huang, Lierin Baerg and Dominique Paulgaard as its members. The purpose of Prairie Cancer Fertility Preservation is to preserve the ability for cancer patients to have children. As I learned from Lierin and Dominique, this can either be through sperm or egg preservation, and as you are about to hear, it can be quite the journey. Lieren as been a Registered Nurse at Royal University Hospital’s Inpatient Cancer and Stem Cell Transplant unit for the past 10 years. Dominique has been a nurse in the same unit for 13 years. They both have families with young children and find the time to run this charity.How the charity works, why it means so much to them, and what conversations are like with their patients when it comes to fertility are topics we cover in our conversation. We also discuss how overwhelming it is for someone who has just received a cancer diagnosis to think about if they want to preserve their ability to have children in the future and the financial challenges that come with their decision.Prairie Cancer Fertility Preservation has a fundraising event on Saturday, March 15th at Crossmount Cider Company. Tickets are 50 dollars and Saskatoon’s Ross Nielsen will be playing live sets of music. You can learn more by following Prairie Cancer Fertility Preservation on Facebook and Instagram, or click this link to purchase tickets.You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Goodpods or on yxeunderground.com. Please 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. 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. This is thanks to Kyle Zurevinski, who runs the theatre programming at the Remai, and his generous spirit. 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.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 and welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE underground. I first met Tammy Forrester four years ago when we did an episode focusing on the work being done at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon. Tammy is the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities in Saskatchewan and leads a wonderful team that provides a safe, secure and welcoming environment for families whose children are undergoing medical challenges. I would highly recommend you listen to our Season Three episode if you would like to learn more about the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon.The Saskatoon House is filling a gap in the health care system and Tammy is hopeful new Ronald McDonald Houses in Regina and Prince Albert will do the same. For the past few years, Tammy and her team have been fundraising to build these new homes and she gives listeners an update in the episode. Tammy also shares why having employees and volunteers pulling in the same direction is vital for an organization to achieve success. Follow and listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts. You can also listen to episodes on the YXE Underground website. Don't forget to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear. These reviews help listeners discover the podcast and the amazing people who are making a difference 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?"In this 'Walking With Lisa' episode, Lisa and I met for lunch at Pique Café in downtown Saskatoon (she had tomato soup, I had a chicken apple brie sandwich) and she dives further into the issue of capacity and how we can support our colleagues, friends and family who are struggling with capacity issues in their lives. Lisa also talks about the "Goldilocks" zone when it comes to communicating with people struggling in their lives and why acknowledging their challenges is so important. As always, I learned so much from Lisa and I know you will too. 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 students arriving in Saskatoon with very little knowledge of the English language, one of the first people they will meet in school is an English as an Additional Language teacher. These teachers not only guide students on their journey through the language, but as I discover in this episode, they provide a safe and nurturing space for students who have been through a lot in their young lives. You are going to meet two incredible EAL teachers in this episode of YXE Underground. Megan Chan and Laura Jorgenson share many qualities. They are passionate about teaching the English language in the Saskatoon Public School Division. They work hard to create a classroom where newcomer and refugee students feel secure and supported, and they both find their work as EAL teachers incredibly rewarding. Megan teaches elementary students at W.P. Bate School and Laura teaches high school EAL classes at Tommy Douglas Collegiate. Together, I believe they give you a clear picture of the challenges EAL teachers face as Saskatoon continues to become a more diverse community and school populations continue to rise, and why their jobs are so fulfilling. You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or on the website. Please 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.A big thank you to Rob Rongve and his team at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode. If you are looking for someone to manage your money and investments, Rob Rongve and his team are the first people you should talk with! Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. I really do appreciate it and I hope your 2025 is off to a great start. 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