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 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 this season, we will have the wonderful Lisa Greig on every month for 'Walking with Lisa' episodes.In the past few seasons, we've done several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the six seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to this pitch. Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who today works at the University of Saskatchewan, 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 h

Welcome to Season Six of YXE Underground. Thank you so much for your continued support and I am thrilled to be back sharing stories of people who are making a difference in Saskatoon but are flying under the radar. This season's first episode focuses on the Animal Safekeeping Program. It is a partnership between New Hope Dog Rescue and the Saskatchewan SPCA and is helping people and animals who are leaving a domestic abuse or interpersonal violence situation. I was fortunate to speak with Sandra Archibald and Laura Zmud to learn more about the Animal Safekeeping Program.Sandra is the Executive Director of New Hope Dog Rescue and Laura is the Family Ties Coordinator with the Saskatchewan SPCA. They found time in their busy schedule to meet with me at the SPCA office in Saskatoon to share more about the program and its importance in our community. I learned so much from speaking with Sandra and Laura and have so much respect for the work they are doing to help people who are experience interpersonal violence an

Hello and welcome to a special summer bonus episode of YXE Underground. My name is Eric Anderson and I hope you are having a wonderful summer so far. I spent the first two weeks of July on a trip to Scandinavia with my Dad and had a really great time there. We spent time in Norway, specifically Oslo and a city called Narvik within the Arctic Circle, which was pretty crazy to experience as the sun just doesn't really go down at all. We would go to bed around 1 am and it was like 7pm here in Saskatoon, so that was pretty neat to see. The reason for our trip was to learn more about my Grandpa Anderson's experiences as a member of the Norwegian Resistance in WWII and we really learned a lot. I posted a little bit about it on the YXE Underground social media channels but I did some audio recording during our trip and fingers crossed I'm going to be doing a radio documentary for CBC Radio about our time in Norway and my Grandpa's experiences.I am also excited to be back in Saskatoon and to be talking about the Sask

Educating people of all ages and cultures is what drives Elaine Sutherland. For nearly 25 years, she taught in schools, mostly as a kindergarten teacher, and helped her peers incorporate Indigenous history and teachings education into their classrooms. Today, you can find Elaine at the Office of the Treaty Commissioner where she is the Director of Treaty Education. The history of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner is interesting.It was created in 1989 by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Government of Canada to guide both parties through their differing views on Treaties. For those unfamiliar with Treaties, in Saskatchewan they are the formal agreements between the Crown and First Nations with their expectations and obligations.11 numbered treaties were negotiated after confederation and between 1871 and 1921. They cover the territories from present day Ontario to Alberta as well as parts of British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. In Saskatchewan, there are six treaties: Treaty

It’s a Thursday night and four people are sparring under the careful watch of Haven Seto.For years, Haven has worked with athletes of all ages to help them develop their boxing, kickboxing and wushu skills. Wushu is also known as kung-fu, and it’s played an important role in Haven’s life.I am so excited to introduce you to Haven Seto.He is the epitome of a community leader. He loves helping others, he is passionate about making his community a better place, and he understands the importance of hard work and kindness.For the past 15 years, Haven has worked at the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association here in Saskatoon. This organization provides programs and services to help newcomers and Indigenous find success in their communities and has been doing this work since 1964.Haven oversees all of the employment programs and as you will hear in our conversation, he takes so much pride in helping newcomers and Indigenous people find meaningful employment in Saskatoon.He also owns and operates the Chinese Martial A

It has been just over a year since Ukrainians began arriving in Saskatoon, fleeing from war with Russia, and arriving with very little to start their new lives in our community. There have been many stories chronicling the efforts of people and organizations to help Ukrainians not only arrive safely but to set them up for success in Saskatoon and all are worth celebrating. For this episode, I wanted to highlight the efforts of people you may not know but their work is helping Ukrainian newcomers find safety and security in Saskatoon.You are going to meet four amazing people in this episode. We will visit Travis Homenuk and Shauna Tilbury at the Saskatoon Public School Division’s Newcomer Student Centre. We will find out why Linda Rudachyk is working so hard to find affordable housing for Ukrainian families and we start the podcast with a trip to the Saskatoon Open Door Society to meet Lyudmyla Pastushenko. I want to thank all of my guests for sharing their stories and passion for helping others.You can listen

You can’t help but be in awe when you walk into Child Life Zone at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. First of all, it’s really big. There’s plenty of space for kids to simply play which is a concept Dominique Rust touches on several times in our conversation. There are large windows that encompass the room and allow plenty of sunlight in, the ceiling is high and the space has one of the coolest music rooms I’ve ever seen. There’s even a beautiful kitchen and dining space for families to use. The Child Life Zone is part of a North American organization called Teammates for Kids. There are Child Life Zones in various cities across the United States but Saskatoon is the only city in Canada that has a Child Life Zone.What is the purpose of the Child Life Zone? It offers support and education for young patients and families to help reduce stress and anxiety that go along with hospital stays, tests and procedures. It also offers kids a break from the hospital setting, which I think is something we can all empat

Andrew Baenziger is in his dream job.As the Adaptive Technologist for SaskAbilities, he is helping people overcome barriers they are facing due to disability or injury through his passion for technology and empathy to help others in need.Andrew invited us to his workshop to show us how he uses technology, and perhaps a piece or two from his aquarium, to make a difference in lives of people here in Saskatoon.It was wonderful spending time in his workspace at SaskAbilities for this episode.The main space, which is a classroom inside an old school, has a few desks which are covered with different devices and creations made by Andrew that are designed to help people in a variety of ways. He calls it his showroom and it’s where most of our conversation takes place…But his favourite space to spend time is definitely his workshop. It’s attached to the showroom and it’s where Andrew loves to fix things.As an Adaptive Technologist, Andrew works with people who need help overcoming barriers in their lives. Often times,

Welcome to a special bonus episode of YXE Underground. This episode is a continuation of last week’s episode where we featured an incredible nonprofit organization called Empty Arms. It is a perinatal support group that provides supports to individuals and families who have experienced the loss of a child during pregnancy or up to the age of six.Jasmin Herchak and Briana Koop co-founded Empty Arms in 2015 and were the featured guests in last week’s episode. They were amazing to speak with and the feedback I’ve received from listeners highlights their empathy and kindness. I hope you get a chance to listen to their story if you haven’t done so already.The other voices you heard in last week’s episode belonged to Dax and Sara Irons. They share the story of their son, Everett, who was born on September 22nd , 2018 and passed away at birth. They are grateful for the support Empty Arms provided them during such a difficult time, and in fact it was Sara’s idea to feature Jasmin and Briana on the podcast.Sara and Da

Jasmin Herchak and Briana Koop took traumatic and devastating experiences with loss and turned them into something that is helping so many people and families in Saskatoon. I think that deserves to be celebrated.In 2015, Jasmin and Bri created Empty Arms. It is a nonprofit organization that provides support to individuals and families that experience grief and bereavement due to the loss of a child during pregnancy or up to the age of six. As you will hear in this episode, Jasmin and Bri started Empty Arms because they experienced the loss of a child and quickly noticed the lack of supports for people who experience such a loss. The work being done by the staff and volunteers Empty Arms is really incredible. They offer tangible supports to individuals and families when they are in the hospital and help create a supportive community in the months and years following a child's death. Jasmine and Bri explain why this work matters to them so much and how it continues to help them in their respective grieving proc

If you ever get a chance to talk with Adrianne Vangool, take it. Jump at the opportunity to talk with her because you will find yourself talking with someone who is wonderfully honest and I think truly wise about the world around her. She comes by her wisdom through hard work, curiosity and reflection and its reflected in her debut book, 'The Journey of Self-Care to We-Care.'Adrianne is a physiotherapist and owns her own business, Vangool Wellness. She is also a fantastic yoga instructor who incorporates yoga into her physiotherapy practice, and she explains the many benefits of yoga for a person's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health in her book. She also shares her own personal story in her book. I really admire Adrianne's honesty in sharing some of the struggles she has experienced in her life. I think it shows a great deal of bravery and it's something we talk a lot about in this conversation. We also talk about Adrianne's creative side as well. As you'll discover in her book, Adrianne loves w

Danielle Hoffart's determination and compassion is ensuring kids at St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre in Saskatoon are getting the supports they need when it comes to food security. She is St. Mary's Aboriginal Student Achievement Coordinator and is a true liaison between her school and the greater Pleasant Hill community.St. Mary's is home to 300 students with more than 90 percent being Indigenous. The school, which was built in 2012 and is part of the Greater Catholic School Division, also has a nutrition program, wellness centre, Indigenous Elders, social workers, psychiatrist and a pediatric centre. It is a hub for the community and Danielle is one of its leaders. Danelle has been involved with food security challenges for many years in Saskatoon. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan and really developed a passion for the city's core neighbourhoods through working at places like Quint, the Saskatoon Friendship Inn, and CHEP Good Food. For the past 14 years,

Take a walk through downtown Saskatoon, River Landing, Riversdale or the University of Saskatchewan campus and you will see public works of art. These pieces reflect our community’s history, they tell important stories and some even become landmarks. Alejandro Romero is passionate about the many positive impacts public art brings to Saskatoon and he shares his convictions in this episode of YXE Underground.This past summer, my wife and I spent a few weeks in Tennessee visiting places like Nashville, Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains. Everywhere we went, we saw really stunning displays of public art. Whether it was a statue or a vibrant mural, there were pieces of art that told stories of their communities and certainly made for an interesting photograph.These pieces also made me think of Alejandro Romero. I first met Alejandro in February of 2020, just before the pandemic arrived in Saskatoon, at a podcasting workshop for newcomers. He was one of the organizers and we instantly hit it off because Alejan

Spend some time with Charmaine Panko and you will quickly realize how important meaningful and empathetic discussion is to her. Charmaine is a Saskatoon lawyer who takes a lot of pride in helping couples and families who are going through the divorce process. She worked in a corporate law firm for 10 years after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan's law program but was always intrigued by family law.She started a niche practice in our community focusing on conflict resolution and uses collaborative law and mediation when working in family law. Charmaine explains how collaborative law and mediation can help couples going through a divorce make sure their priorities are in the right place while being kind and respectful to one-another in this episode. She also shares her motivation for helping others and why getting people in a room to talk through their concerns is often the best way to reach a solution.You will also hear from Colleen Mpofu-McBride in this episode. Colleen is a clinical social worke

Every superhero has an origin story. For hydrologist Phillip Harder, who I consider a water superhero, his origin story traces back to when he first saw a culvert sticking straight up in the air near his farm at the age of seven.Phillip wanted to know why there was fresh water at the bottom of that odd-looking culvert when there was an alkali body of water nearby. To a seven year-old kid growing up on a farm southeast of Saskatoon, this question needed an answer.The answer to this question, and the great story that surrounds it, is in this episode of YXE Underground.Season 5 of YXE Underground begins with Phillip Harder. He is a hydrologist and a Research Associate for the Centre for Hydrology at the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a member of a national team called the Global Water Futures research project. Phillip is helping communities on the prairies, and especially farmers, learn to best use their fresh water resources. He’s doing this through careful research, flying expensive drones and engaging

Anita Smith is one of my favourite people and it was wonderful to have her back on the podcast for this special summer bonus episode. Anita is the Artistic and Executive Director of Saskatoon's 25th Street Theatre and a fierce advocate for the arts in our community. When she's not directing and acting in plays, Anita empowers local artists from all backgrounds to tell their stories on local stages. That's one of the many reasons why she is so excited for the Saskatoon Fringe Festival.25th Street Theatre puts on the Fringe Festival which means Anita and her team are busy all year preparing for the 10 day festival in Saskatoon's Broadway District. This year's festival  features the return of international theatre companies to Saskatoon as well as some fantastic local and national companies. Anita was kind enough to swing by my house on a Sunday morning to offer a preview of this year's Fringe Festival for the podcast. We also discuss the importance of getting kids interested in the arts at a young age and why s

It's easy to spot a Science Trek student in Saskatoon. Just look for their bright yellow backpack cover!To be a member of the Science Trek means you are a part of a family. This is one of the many things I learned about the program after spending a beautiful June day with the class as it prepared for an upcoming canoe trip. It makes a lot of sense. Students apply to be a part of this unique Saskatoon Public Schools program from across the city and then are chosen from a lottery. Most of the students didn't know each-other on their first day of school, but through a variety of experiences (both inside the classroom and out in the community) they come together to form a family. And this family loves science!Science Trek teaches students to view the world around them through the lens of science. It is taught by two amazing teachers: Brian Gurney and Ashley Son. Together, they empower their students to discover how science impacts our community in places the northeast swale and the South Saskatchewan River. How t

Megen Olfert smiles thinking about the backyard treehouse her father designed for her when she was a kid. It was wide enough for a motorised wheelchair to manoeuvre inside, and a cement path wound its way through the backyard up to the treehouse instead of stairs or a ladder. “I felt like I was on equal ground as a kid,” said Megen, “because sometimes when you’re disabled it means you have to do things differently even though you can do the same thing. It made me feel included.”Megen was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at nine months old. It became clear to her parents, Charles and Leila Olfert, that their daughter would need a wheelchair and their house would not meet Megen’s needs. So, Charles began designing a new home for the family.This is an excerpt from a story I wrote for the CBC Saskatchewan website based on this episode. I love the story of Megan's treehouse!Charles and Leila have been living in this fully accessible home for the past 36 years. Charles is an architect with AODBT architecture and inter

Knowing where your next hot meal is coming from is a luxury most of us take for granted, but there are people in our community from all backgrounds who struggle to find their next breakfast or lunch. The Friendship Inn has spent the past 50 years helping vulnerable people in our community struggling with food security get the supports they need. Every morning and lunch, 365 days a year, the Friendship Inn serves a free breakfast and lunch to people who need it. What's really amazing to me is that the organization never missed a meal in the pandemic. I was able to spend a morning at the Friendship Inn on a sunny Thursday in late March. I feel very lucky to have met a wonderful group of people who care for our community's most vulnerable with compassion and empathy. In this episode you'll meet Sandra Kary (Executive Director), Laura Herman (Development and Engagement Manager), Jenna Gull (Chef) and Tracy Block (Staff Member) and they do a fantastic job of sharing how the Friendship Inn is able to support so man

"Everybody in the pandemic has seems more friendly and more open. I've seen so many more people during the pandemic actually engaging in eye-contact and actually stopping and saying hello."I love this statement from Frances Sreedhar! If anyone knows how people are acting on the Meewasin trails, it's Frances. Frances has walked more than one million steps on the Meewasin Valley trails since the pandemic started back in March of 2020 here in Saskatoon. She started walking for many different reason, which she explains eloquently in this bonus episode of the podcast, and realized that she had the opportunity to help two organizations close to her heart through her daily walks on the trails. In 2021, Frances raised thousands of dollars for the Meewasin Valley Authority and the Canadian Mental Health Association and is at it again in 2022. She has done a marvellous job of sharing her story with the local media (CTV Saskatoon, CBC Saskatchewan, Global Saskatoon) and I feel very lucky that she is appearing on the pod