"In rural-speak: head out of the city on 22nd Street and stay on Highway 14 for about 10km."This is how Katie Suek started an email this summer when we were coordinating this podcast episode. Despite the fact that it's a short drive from Saskatoon to the Suek acreage, as soon as you step foot on Restoring 71, you do feel like you are light years away from the city.In 2015, the Suek family purchased an 80-acre acreage west of Saskatoon as a way to reconnect with nature and offer their children the opportunity to spark a love for the natural world. They used nine of those acres to build a home and left the remaining 71 in the hands of mother nature. Today, those 71 acres have become an incredible conservation and restoration project, and the really cool thing is that Katie wants you to come visit her backyard for free! Since the Covid-19 pandemic started in March of 2020, Restoring 71 has hosted hundreds of visitors, including elementary and high school students, seeking to connect with nature in a meaningful way. What I love about Katie's story is that she is encouraging people to come visit her home; to visit Restoring 71; to learn about conservation and simply enjoy a space that nature has reclaimed after generations of farming. I feel very lucky to have spent a beautiful August evening with Katie and her husband, Aaron, exploring the trails of Restoring 71 and hearing their passion for this unique project. I think what they are doing with Restoring 71 makes them community leaders when it comes to understanding our relationship with nature, and I hope you are able to experience their 71 acres and soak in its beauty. A big thank youto Saskatoon's Escape Sports for supporting this episode of the podcast! If you're looking for outdoor gear in Saskatoon, be sure to check out Escape Sports. Thank you for supporting a local, independent podcast. If you like what you hear, don't forget to tell a friend and leave a 5-star podcast review. Follow and listen to YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the website or wherever you find your podcasts. Thank you so much for listening and I hope you enjoy your time at Restoring 71.Cheers...Eric 

YXE Underground

Season Four - Episode Two - Katie Suek, Aaron Suek and Restoring 71

Welcome to Season Four of YXE Underground. I am very grateful for your support of this local, independent podcast and I am excited to be sharing another season of stories with you. We begin Season Four with an in-depth look at safe and affordable housing in Saskatoon. This is an issue that has come up time and time again throughout the podcast. Whether it is looking at mental health issues in our community or focusing on addictions, the lack of safe and affordable housing in our community comes up as a root cause of these issues. I have been looking for a way to approach the issue on the podcast for over a year now but was struggling with finding a way into the story. Luckily, I received an email from Sheri Benson this past summer. Sheri is the CEO of the United Way Saskatoon and a YXE Underground listener. She told me I should do an episode on safe and affordable housing and I said, "sure...but I will need your help!" We met for lunch and came up with three people who we thought would make great guests on the podcast and could bring unique perspectives to the issue. I am thrilled they all said yes to being on the podcast.Priscilla Johnstone is the Homelessness Action Plan Manager with Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership. She works with community organizations to deliver funding for various housing projects. Priscilla also works directly with Saskatoon's homeless population and does so through an Indigenous lens. Jordan Mills is the Director of Clinical Services at Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Services. He helped to start an innovative housing program in 2014 called Housing First. It is a unique program and one that Jordan passionately discusses in this episode.Chelsie Fulton is the Pride Home Manager for OUT Saskatoon. Pride Home is a house that provides 2SLGBTQ youth between the ages of 16 and 21 a safe place to live open and free lives. It opened five years ago and is serving an important role in Saskatoon. All three guests bring passion, empathy and years of experience to their roles, and it was a real pleasure speaking with them for this episode. You can follow and listen to YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. You can also listen to every episode on the website. Don't forget to follow to YXE Underground on social media and feel free to leave a review if you like what you hear. Thank you so much for supporting this local, independent podcast and I hope you enjoy this episode. Cheers...Eric 

Season Four - Episode One - Safe and Affordable Housing

I’m very excited to share with you a conversation I had last month with a really insightful and caring person named Lisa Grieg. Lisa is a social worker by trade and has worked as a therapist in the past. Currently, she works as a Student Affairs Professional at the College of Dentistry at the University of Saskatchewan and is about to have her second child. Lisa also has a wonderful podcast called Highlighting Real as well as a great Instagram Page with the handle Lisa Grieg Wellness. Through her Instagram account and podcast, Lisa shares stories and sparks conversations centering on mental health and wellness, but what I love about Lisa is she does this in a very authentic and genuine way. In no way does Lisa try and tell people how to feel or sell them something as a quick fix to mental health challenges. Instead, she shares what is going on in her busy life...Lisa has a husband with great musical tastes named Ross and a son, Holden…and the challenges they all face. I really admire how Lisa discusses mental health and wellness and I wanted to know more about how she’s able to spark so much interest and discussion in our community through her podcast and Instagram account.We met at Sparrow Coffee shop on 2nd Avenue and sat down outside to talk. It was the day after Saskatchewan’s public health orders were lifted and you’ll hear that mentioned a few times in our conversation. You’ll also hear Lisa discuss why she wants to connect with people in our community, how wellness has become so commodified in recent years, and if she ever feels like she shares too much on social media.I loved speaking with Lisa and I hope you find the time to find her podcast and Instagram accounts as they are both worth your time. Don't forget that Season Four of YXE Underground drops on September 9th. Follow and listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your podcasts or the website. Thank you for all of your support and talk with you soon! Cheers...Eric

Bonus Episode - Lisa Grieg

Welcome to a special summer bonus episode of YXE Underground. I hope you are having a great summer so far and are managing to stay cool in what has been a sweltering summer here in Saskatoon. I want to share with you a conversation I had a few weeks ago with a really amazing young man named John Langan. John is a member of the Canadian Military and the Saskatoon Police Service, and on July 21st, he will make his debut as an author. John has written a memoir entitled Iskoces Tipiskak. It is a remarkable look at his life, the role indigenous spirituality and culture plays in everything he does, the impact of residential schools on his family and the role indigenous peoples will play in our country’s future. In the last few months, we have all been reminded of the terrible atrocities committed on Indigenous peoples across Canada. The discoveries of unmarked graves on the grounds of residential schools in Kamloops, BC and Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan are a terrible legacy of colonization that will impact Canadian society for generations to come. It’s something John and I discuss in the episode and how his book can further that conversation. John is a joy to speak with. He is charismatic, kind, passionate and determined to bring about change in so many different. You will hear him laugh lots in our conversation, but as he explains, don’t let that fool you in thinking he is not serious about his role as a leader in his community. It’s simply a way he manages the trauma and pain he encounters and feels. John and I met for coffee here in Saskatoon on a Sunday morning and covered a lot of ground in just a half-hour. That's probably because he’s so easy to speak with. We talk about why he wanted to write a memoir now and what he hopes to accomplish with his book. We also discuss how it connects to the tragic news coming out of Kamloops and Cowesssess.I want to warn you that we bring up some very difficult subjects and John shares some deeply personal and heartbreaking stories.If any of these stories are triggering for you, please know that supports are available for anyone affected by the lingering effects of residential schools and those are who are triggered by what is happening in Canada right now. The Indian Residential School Survivors Society can be contacted toll free at 1-800-721-0066. A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. You can access emotional and crisis referred services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line at 1-866-925-4419.Finally, I would like to acknowledge that this interview was done on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis.Please feel free to follow and like YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. You can also listen to episodes on the YXE Underground website. Thank you again to John for sharing his story on the podcast.     

Bonus Episode - Saskatoon Police Officer and Author, John Langan

When you walk into Saskatoon's Prince Philip School, a wave of hospitality and community hits you. It's a small elementary school tucked away in the city's south end and it holds a special place in Mindy's Macdonald's heart. Mindy attended Prince Philip as a child and now teaches kindergarten in a carefully classroom to ensure her students are kept safe during the pandemic. Seriously, I just stood in amazement at the amount of empathy and creativity Mindy put into her classroom this year. She does a wonderful job of explaining why she had to organize the space in this way during the first few minutes of the episode.My nephew, Everett, was the first person to tell me about Mindy Macdonald. He is six years-old and is in her class. He loves how enthusiastic Mrs. Macdonald is and the fact that she allows animals and plants in the classroom. After spending an hour with Mindy, I can see why my nephew thinks so highly of her.I am biased in my support of teachers. I had a brief two year career as a teacher and my wife teaches high school in Saskatoon. I know how hard the profession is and the insane amount of work that good teachers put in for their students. Mindy Macdonald is one of those teachers.In this episode, you'll discover how Mindy has done an incredible job of creating a sense of community with her students and their parents despite the fact that Covid-19 prevented so many of those little interactions between teachers and students. Hearing Mindy describe how she has taught proper speech even though she couldn't see the mouths of her students due to masks was so interesting. There are plenty of WOW moments in our conversation and I think you will really connect with Mindy's passion. This is the final episode of Season Three of YXE Underground and I want to thank you, the listener, for all of your support! The podcast reached a new level of listenership and engagement this season and I am grateful for it. I also want to thank all of the guests who appeared on the podcast this season. It takes courage to share your story in such a public way and all of my guests did an amazing job. I also want to thank all of the local businesses who supported the podcast this season. For this episode, the great team at Ivy Yoga House offered their support and I am so grateful. The community that Jen Rondeau and her teachers have created is something special. I have been practicing there for almost a year now and I am getting closer to getting my heels to the ground in downward dog!!I'll be spending the summer gathering interviews for Season Four which will drop in September, but I'll be dropping some bonus episodes in July and August so be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you don't miss an episode.I hope you have a safe and wonderful summer and thank you again for all of your support this season!!Cheers...Eric

Season Three - Episode Ten - Mindy Macdonald

Jordan Stovra's character cannot be contained behind a mask and a hairnet. For the past eight years, the 24 year-old former football player has worked pretty much every job you can imagine at the Varsity Common Sobeys on 8th Street and Cumberland in Saskatoon. Whether it's cutting halibut steaks in the seafood department, collecting carts in the parking lot, checking lottery tickets or even trying his hand in the produce section, there's nothing Jordan can't do in his store. He loves his job and is a joy to be around.I've seen Jordan every weekend for the past year. My wife gives me a shopping list and off I go to the Sobeys to purchase groceries. I love doing it. It gives me purpose and makes me feel like I am in control of at least one part of my life when so many other things are no longer within my grasp. I wouldn't be able to do this without essential workers like Jordan coming into work every day to make sure the shelves are stocked. I wanted to recognize the work of grocery store workers in this pandemic and Jordan seemed like the perfect person to feature on the podcast. I am grateful he said yes and I am also grateful the local and national managers at Sobeys felt the same way! It can sometimes be tricky navigating the corporate structure of a big company to get an interview request answered, but Sobeys was great to work with and I think listeners are really going to love this episode.Jordan talks about the challenges posed by the pandemic and just how crazy the first few weeks were when Covid-19 arrived in Saskatoon. "Every day felt like December 23rd which was our busiest day. It was like that for two straight weeks," explains Jordan in the episode. He talks about how the pandemic has brought his colleagues together in some ways but he also discusses the things Covid-19 has robbed him of. Jordan might give off a rough and tough vibe when you first meet him but he's a really sweet and kind person with a big heart who cares for those around him.Saskatoon photographer Rona Andreas and I were able to spend a Saturday morning in mid-April with Jordan just as the store was opening up. You'll hear people shuffling up and down the aisles, busy checkout stations and Jordan smiling as he cuts halibut steaks for customers to enjoy. It was so much fun spending time with Jordan and seeing how much he truly cares about his job. A big thank you to Ivy Yoga House for supporting this episode of YXE Underground. I think it's the best yoga studio in Saskatoon and I hope you get the chance to check it out!Don't forget to follow and listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. Stream episodes on the website as well. Please rate and review YXE Underground if you like what you hear. Thank you for supporting this local, independent podcast. I really do appreciate all of your support and I hope you're all staying well and healthy. Cheers...Eric  

Season Three - Episode Nine - Jordan Stovra

On a December evening in 2017, Andrea Schick's life was thrown into chaos. The health of her four and a half year-old son, Sebastian, quickly took a turn for the worse. Doctors in Regina didn't know what was wrong and because Saskatchewan didn't have a children's hospital at the time, Andrea and her family were forced to travel to Edmonton so that Sebastian could receive care. It was in Edmonton that Andrea and her family relied on the Ronald McDonald House organization to provide the structure and support they desperately needed during Sebastian's time in the hospital.Sadly, Sebastian's story did not have a happy ending. He passed away and as you'll hear in this episode, the loss will forever stay in Andrea's heart.What will also stay in her heart is her support of the organization that helped her family through such difficult circumstances.In this bonus episode of the podcast, Andrea shares her son's story and explains how the Ronald McDonald House supported her and her family when they needed it most. She also explains why she has become involved with the Ronald McDonald House here in Saskatoon and the importance of supporting those families whose stories do have happy endings.I want to thank Andrea for agreeing to be on the podcast. Andrea lives in Regina (but grew up in Saskatoon and even worked at McDonalds when she was a teenager) and we connected through Zoom. It's not easy to share a story like this in any situation, let alone over Zoom with a podcast host you've never met. So Andrea, thank you for opening up the way that you did, and I know your story is going to leave its mark on so many listeners.This bonus episode stems from the last episode of the podcast where we took listeners inside the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon to meet the staff and discover how they have continued to support Saskatchewan families with sick children during the pandemic. The response to this episode has been amazing and it's clear the organization has impacted so many families across the province.Thank you for supporting this episode and don't forget to subscribe for free to YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your podcasts. You can also stream all episodes on Spotify or the website. A brand new episode drops May 13th and I think you will love it!Stay safe, keeping washing your hands and thank you for supporting a local, independent podcast.Cheers...Eric 

Bonus Episode - Andrea Schick - Ronald McDonald House

Spend some time in the Ronald McDonald House here in Saskatoon and you will feel a lot of things.You will feel the kindness of staff as they work to serve the families that are calling the house home while going through extremely challenging times.You will feel creativity as you discover all the big and little things within the house designed to make a family's stay as pleasant as possible.And I think you will feel the strength of an organization that has people pulling in the same direction to serve families.I feel fortunate to have spent a morning back in February in the Ronald McDonald House and that I get to share that experience with you in this episode.The Covid-19 pandemic, as you will hear, has made the mission of the Ronald McDonald House (which is to provide programs for families with sick children that positively impact the health and wellbeing of the entire family) a bit more challenging to fulfill. What you will also hear are people who love what they do at the house and are working together to ensure families are taken care of. You will hear from the following team members in this episode, and each provide a unique perspective on the organization and what the past year has been like.Tammy Forrester - CEOKaren Linsley - Director of Development and CommunicationsKim Gilbert - Director of Human Resource DevelopmentStephanie Turner-Chiasson - Director of FinanceMarcelline Zimmer - Director of OperationsYou will also hear from Regina's Andrea Schick who shares her family's experience of staying at a Ronald McDonald House. I can't imagine a more harrowing experience as a parent than rushing your child to the hospital, especially if you have no idea what is wrong with them. Some Saskatchewan families in this situation travel to Saskatoon in search of answers at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital and often they end up spending time at the Ronald McDonald. I hope this episode gives you a sense of what happens inside the house and how not even a global pandemic can get in the way of this team fulfilling its mission for Saskatchewan families. Follow and subscribe to YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Stream episodes on Spotify or the website. Don't forget to leave a review if you like what you hear. A big thank you to the Ronald McDonald House team for welcoming Rona and I with open arms! We both appreciate your kindness and generosity.Special thanks to Saskatoon's Michelle's Flowers for supporting this episode. Thank you for supporting a local, independent podcast! It means a lot.Cheers...Eric

Season Three - Episode Eight - Ronald McDonald House Saskatoon

March 20th was the first day of spring and it felt like a day to be outside. I woke up early to go for a haircut and run a few errands, including picking up lunch for my wife who was at home participating in an all day zoom conference. I think seeing her sitting in front of her laptop inspired me to make the most of the afternoon and headed out for a walk.I parked off of 14th Street close to Broadway and headed towards the Broadway Bridge. I knew I wanted to end at the Remai Modern and enjoy the Meewasin Trail and River Landing, but as I approached the Broadway Bridge, I wanted to get away from the sound of cars. So I veered left towards the Traffic Bridge.I haven't walked that bridge in months and you'll hear more people and bikes in this part. I forgot how great the views are of the river on the Traffic Bridge. I also saw lots of lovely puppy dogs and it took all my strength not to walk up to them and say hello...Social distancing played a role in that decision as well!Once I hit the Meewasin Trail, I headed west towards River Landing and the Remai Modern. You'll hear snippets of conversations from people walking by and one very excited kid who couldn't throw enough rocks in the river. The end was my favourite part of the walk. The birds were really singing near the Remai and you can hear a bit of the echo coming off the building. You will also hear a group of eight young adults who belonged to a church youth group and were handing out free lunches to members of our community. One of the members had an acoustic guitar so I motioned for him to strum as I approached them. What I didn't expect was for the group to burst out into song but they sounded wonderful and I appreciate them playing music for an absolute stranger holding a microphone. I've been listening to a podcast called Field Recordings which features sound from audio-makers from around the world. I just think it's so neat to hear real life in your headphones and so I wanted to capture a little bit of that in this bonus episode.  I hope you all are doing well and staying healthy and safe these days. A brand new episode drops on April 8th featuring the team at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon. I think you'll really enjoy it!Thank you for listening and supporting a local, independent podcast. I really do appreciate it.Cheers...Eric 

Bonus Episode - Walking on the First Day of Spring

"If I allow praise to be why I do this job or get wrapped up in that life-saving mentality, I would worry about the job I'm doing. You have to keep some humility."Jen Rondeau is a very humble and wise woman. As a Critical Care Paramedic, her job is to help those who need immediate medical help. She works with Air Ambulance and Road Ambulance based at Medavie Health Services West in Saskatoon's Stonebridge area. She works with others to save lives. What I quickly learned, however, is that accepting praise and then letting it go is really important for Jen and she explains why in this episode.I met Jen last summer when I walked into her yoga studio, Ivy Yoga House. Two things quickly stood out to me. The first was how welcoming the space was. Sometimes I feel intimidated in a yoga studio because I'm just not that good, but there is a great feeling when you enter the studio that instantly puts you at ease. The second was that Jen was there to greet and say hello to everyone. It's a small but I think important example of Jen's kindness and she explains why this is important in the episode.I've got to know Jen since that first class and after hearing some pretty incredible stories of being on the frontlines of the pandemic, I just had to have her on the podcast. I am grateful she said yes and was game for doing the interview in the back of one of the ambulances at Medavie headquarters.Jen is a wonderful storyteller and opens up about the highs (the love she and her colleagues received from the public when the pandemic first started) and the lows (watching conspiracy and anti-mask protests take root in Saskatchewan) of being a paramedic during Covid times. She also discusses the challenges that come with having her own family question the science behind vaccines. It's not easy to talk about these things so I really appreciate her sharing so much with listeners.Thank you to Saskatoon physiotherapist and yoga instructor Adrienne Vangool for her help with this episode! A big thank you to City Perks Coffeeshop and Sparrow Coffee for supporting this episode. Both of these locations serve great coffee, great food and are wonderful spots for conversations with friends. Thank you to Coralee and her team for their belief in the podcast!Follow YXE Underground on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your podcasts. Stream episodes on Spotify or the website. Please give a 5-star review if you like what you hear! Thank you so much for supporting this local, independent podcast! I sure do appreciate it and I know you're going to love getting to know Jen Rondeau. Cheers...Eric 

Season Three - Episode Seven - Jen Rondeau

How are you doing?It's a question I have asked my friends, my family, my colleagues and plenty of strangers during the last year. It's been a hard year for many in our community due to the pandemic. I think it's fair to say we've all had to deal with various mental health challenges. As we approach one year of the Covid-19 pandemic here in Saskatoon, it seemed like the right time to see how we are all doing in terms of our mental health. I am grateful that Samantha Horswill and Colleen McBride agreed with the timing and to appear on the podcast.Dr. Samantha Horswill is a Registered Psychologist at Chartier Arnold Shimp and Associates here in Saskatoon. Colleen McBride is a registered social worker and counsellor who has a private practice called The Practice. You might remember Colleen from a Season One episode looking at cancer care in Saskatoon. Samantha and Colleen share not only their experiences throughout the pandemic, but so much wisdom and insight when it comes to mental health. You will hear me say several times in this episode, "I am learning so much from you" because, well, it's true! They both explain complex emotions in clear and articulate ways, and I really think you will learn lots from them. This episode is a bit longer than most YXE Underground episodes but I really encourage you to listen all the way to end as there are pearls of wisdom sprinkled throughout. I ended up taking two pages of notes when I listened back to our conversation because Samantha and Colleen share much knowledge!Thank you to Rob Rongve and his team at Rongve Wealth Management Group of RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for supporting this episode. Please feel free to leave a 5-star review of the podcast on your favourite podcast app and don't forget to subscribe for free to the podcast wherever you find your podcasts. You can also stream episodes on Spotify or at www.yxeunderground.comThank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast! I really do appreciate it. I hope you are all doing well. Cheers...Eric

Season Three - Episode Six - Samantha Horswill and Colleen McBride

I love speaking with Scotty Dicks.In Season One of YXE Underground, Scotty appeared on the podcast to talk about his work in growing Saskatoon's culinary scene. A wonderful chef who loves collaborating, Scotty worked with different restaurants and pubs in the city developing their menus while teaching classes at The Local Kitchen and running his own catering company. He was influential in educating our community where our food was coming from and why that was important to know. At the end of that episode, Scotty revealed he was ready to get back in the kitchen and was set to open a new restaurant called Odla. In the span of a few years, it has become a staple in Saskatoon's culinary scene and has garnered national attention. Scotty and his team were really hitting their stride when Covid-19 arrived in Saskatoon. In the span of a few days, everything at the restaurant changed. The menu was revamped, a website was created and Scotty was suddenly left wondering what the future had in store.What you will hear in this episode is Scotty telling the story of the last ten months at Odla, and what I really love about our conversation is how his leadership style and character comes through as clear as the distinct flavours in his cooking. I was expecting a bit of doom and gloom from Scotty when recapping his pandemic experience. Instead, I left our conversation inspired and thinking that his leadership style could be applied to so many different businesses and organizations.What you will also hear are some wonderful sounds from Odla's kitchen on a  Saturday night. Seriously, it was so much fun spending an hour with Scotty and his team gathering sound and watching them in action. I was so pumped up after my time in the kitchen and all I did was hold a microphone!I want to thank Scotty, Lacey Sellinger and the entire Odla team for allowing me some really great access to produce this episode. I hope you can hear the joy because it was so much to make.A big thank you to Rob Rongve and his team at Rongve Wealth Management Group at RBC Dominion Securities in North Battleford for sponsoring this episode. Rob and his team have been managing my money for nearly a decade and they are wonderful to work with! Thanks for believing in the podcast, Rob. Thank you for supporting YXE Underground and for supporting local restaurants like Odla. Stay safe and keep washing your hands!Cheers...Eric 

Season Three - Episode Five - Scott Dicks

I have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Jodi Grant for the past four years. Jodi is a resident at Sherbrooke Community Centre, which is where I work, and her life has been full of challenges. However, one of her constant sources of joy has been reading stories out loud to students. At Sherbrooke, Jodi reads to grade six students as part of the iGen program. iGen, which is short for Intergeneration Program, is a unique partnership between Sherbrooke and the Saskatoon Public School Division. I have seen how much joy Jodi receives from reading to the students and how captivated those students are with Jodi's flare and grace for storytelling.I think reading out loud is a real art. A person can truly bring a story to life with their voice, their energy and understanding of the text. Jodi is a master storyteller and I am very grateful she said yes to my idea of having her read a Christmas story this year for the podcast.It has been a challenging year for Jodi in terms of reading out loud to this year's iGen class. Due to the pandemic, the class is not allowed in Sherbrooke. Instead, Jodi has used a microphone and portable speaker to read to the students through a fence at Sherbrooke when the weather was mild. She is now using Zoom to read to the students every day at 1pm to their classroom at Ecole College Park. It has been inspiring seeing her overcome the challenges posed by Covid-19 to continue reading to students.I also want to say thank you to my friend, Jodi's friend, and iGen lead teacher, Keri Albert for her support in making this episode happen! You're amazing, Keri!!  I hope Jodi's reading brings you a bit of joy this holiday season. Listening to it again sure brought a smile to my face. Thank you so much for all of your support this past year and I really hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday season! See you in 2021...Eric  

Bonus Episode - Dr. Jodi Grant Reads 'The Night Before Christmas'

Yulissa Campos has a wonderful presence to her. It's a mix of confidence and conviction, fuelled by a lot of passion to tell and share stories on a stage before an audience.At the age of 26, Yulissa has accomplished a great deal in Saskatoon's local theatre scene. She has written and performed plays that are uniquely her own and has started her own theatre company, Ay Caramba! Theatre. She takes pride in telling diverse stories and sharing them with people of all backgrounds, and she is working hard to ensure that newcomer and diverse voices are being heard and celebrated in Saskatoon. I felt Yulissa's presence this past summer when I was hosting a television series focusing on important issues in Saskatchewan's theatre scene. Yulissa was one of the guests for a diversity panel and right away I was just hit with her energy and insights. I knew I had to get her on the podcast! Yulissa and I met in mid-November, a few weeks after a big dump of snow. I mention this because Yulissa is from Ecuador and is no fan of our chilly winters, but she has made friends in her seven years living in Saskatoon, and is determined to bring more diversity to our city's theatre scene...not only in terms of the actors on stage but those writing the stories.  Right now, Yulissa is getting her play, I, Frida, ready for the Singapore Fringe Festival. She was preparing to travel to Singapore to perform it in person, but due to Covid-19, she will record it in Saskatoon and then have it streamed by the festival. It's a really exciting time for Yulissa and she can't wait to see where her career takes her next!I loved getting to know Yulissa during our conversation and her stories about growing up as a kid in Ecuador (and how she came to love theatre) were so interesting! I still can't believe how young she is, and I am so impressed with the impact she is having in Saskatoon in so many different ways. I know you're going to love her story!Thank you for listening and supporting YXE Underground. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app. Stream episodes on Spotify or the website. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and stay safe and healthy!Cheers...Eric 

Season Three - Episode Four - Yulissa Campos

I was very excited and nervous for this interview. I mean, how often do you get to meet people who are literally trying to save the world? In my mind, Andrea Kroeker and Jill Van Kessel are superheroes and it was a real thrill to speak with them.Andrea and Jill are Research Technicians at Saskatoon's VIDO-InterVac, an organization located on the University of Saskatchewan that has been researching viruses and developing vaccines for decades. This year, VIDO-InterVac has been thrust into the global spotlight because of its work on developing a Covid-19 vaccine. I have loved reading and listening to stories about the work being done at the VIDO-InterVac facility. I think it's wonderful that national and international news organizations are paying attention to what is happening at VIDO-InterVac, and I also think the local media have done a great job of explaining why the work is so important. My friend and former CBC colleague Alicia Bridges wrote a really interesting story in August that you must read, and The Saskatoon Star Phoenix's Zak Verscera has written several great stories highlighting the work being done at VIDO-InterVac. I didn't want to copy their stories, but I was curious about what it must be like to be a member of a team working towards such an important goal. I mentioned how I think Andrea and Jill are superheroes. I think what makes them so interesting and such a perfect fit for the podcast is that if you ran into them say at the grocery store, and didn't know where they worked, you would have no idea they spent their days working on solving a global pandemic that has impacted all of our lives in so many different ways.  I feel very lucky to have met Jill and Andrea. It took about four months to arrange a time to have our conversation, and it almost didn't happen due to a massive snow storm that effectively shut down Saskatoon last weekend. We actually recorded the interview two days before it was released and they were amazing to speak with! They are humble, kind, passionate about their work and genuinely excited to be part of a global effort to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. We cover a lot of topics in this episode (while wearing masks and at a safe physical distance, which is why Andrea and Jill sound a little distant compared to my voice). Everything from the nature of their work and why they love doing it, to how they deal with the pressure that comes with their jobs. They were very open and honest with me and I really do appreciate that. There are so many WOW moments in this episode and it was a lot of fun to listen to it again while editing. I hope you enjoy it as well!A big thank you to Trenna Brusky, VIDO Inter-Vac's Marketing Coordinator, for making this episode happen. We exchanged many emails these past few months and a lot of texts last weekend coming up with Plans A, B and C due to the blizzard. You're amazing, Trenna! I also want to thank Saskatoon photographer Rona Andreas for stepping in at the last second to take some really wonderful photos of Jill and Andrea. This episode is sponsored by Uncle Mike's All Natural Products. Mike Zimmer is the owner of Uncle Mike's and in my opinion, he makes the best darn soap in the country! I love that this episode is sponsored by a company that makes great soap because we all need to wash our hands...wash our hands...wash our hands! Visit his website to learn more about his products and I bet you'll find a stocking stuffer or two while you're there. YXE Underground is a production of the Salthammer Production Company. If you like what you hear, please leave a 5-Star review and tell your friends!Thank you so much for listening and supporting a local, independent podcast. I really appreciate it. Cheers...Eric 

Season Three -Episode Three - Andrea Kroeker and Jill Van Kessel

An original podcast featuring interviews with people who are doing amazing things in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but are flying under the radar. Former CBC journalist is Eric Anderson is the creator, host and producer of the podcast.

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YXE Underground

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