The Pulse

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Actor Greyston Holt - the werewolf from Bitten, the vampire from Supernatural, and this fall's Detective Hudson Riley on Prime Video's Neagley - is our guest co-host for a BC Day long weekend special. Greyston shares his own musician roots, a lifetime of connections, and talks about his new role as Hudson Riley in “Neagley” - while we spin tracks from BC artists 54-40, Valdy, Ethan Askey, Brandon Isaac, Harry Manx and Chilliwack.This Episode Features:Greyston Holt, actor and musician, joins Peter and Dave as guest co-host for our BC Day long weekend special, from his home on Salt Spring Island. Known for playing werewolf Clayton Danvers in Bitten, a vampire on Supernatural, and the Leo Award-winning Ray Prager Jr. in Durham County, Greyston takes on Detective Hudson Riley in Neagley, the Reacher spinoff premiering September 16th on Prime Video. Before acting, Greyston chased a music career - fronting Vancouver post-punk band The Mary Belle. He talks about jamming onstage with Valdy at a Salt Spring Christmas party, and picking up classical guitar for a scene on Chesapeake Shores and the Hungarian roots that he explored in Budapest for an episode of FBI International. Greyston is raising daughter Sienna with his wife and fellow actor Cristina Rosato.Episode Quotes:"I always knew Salt Spring was a special place, and certainly a special place to grow up and to raise children... I always felt that I would be coming back." - Greyston Holt"This has been my biggest role to date. It's a dream role. I love the character. I love the content." - Greyston HoltWe've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.The PULSE Community Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, featuring conversations with musicians, authors, actors, athletes, business leaders and community builders from Vancouver Island, British Columbia and beyond. The PULSE Community Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Beachfest, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Fireside Books & Ian Lindsay & AssociatesCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.Song Credits:(05:07) Running for the Fence - 54-40 (Osborne/Johnson)(14:23) Rock and Roll Song - Valdy(26:23) Swing Like That - Ethan Askey & The Elevators (Askey)(29:18) Walkin' with the Blues - Brandon Isaac (Isaac)(40:56) Capricho Arabe - Francisco Tarrega, performed by Greyston Holt(43:11) Can't Be Satisfied - Harry Manx (Waters)(52:42) Crazy Talk - Chilliwack (Henderson)SOCAN 5068600#GreystonHolt #BCDay #SaltSpringIsland #VancouverIsland #Neagley #Reacher #BittenTV #VancouverIslandMusic #ThePULSEPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away - or more precisely, in 1980 - a sequel arrived that would change cinema forever. In this special May the Fourth episode of Too Old or Movie Gold, host Olen Vanderleeden of the Comox Valley brings together his Gen X co-host Matthew Stockton and millennial comedians Josh Fleming (host of the Absolutely Obscure podcast) and Will Corry to revisit The Empire Strikes Back. The verdict? Pure carbonite gold - and it’s the highest-rated film in the podcast’s history.The group tackles plenty of big questions: Is Darth Vader the greatest villain of all time? (Josh gives a slight edge to Hans Gruber.) Was Yoda actually a good trainer, or just a disruptor making Luke more uncertain? Was the “I am your father” reveal really that shocking? For the Gen Xers, absolutely - people screamed in the theater. And what about dinner with Darth Vader? The panel agrees: surprisingly classy for a villain. The film’s numbers are just as staggering as its story - made for $18 million, it returned $550 million, topping the 1980 box office and beating out Airplane, The Shining, and Caddyshack combined.The Rotten Tomatoes scores (93% critics, 97% audience) produced a rare three-way tie among all three panelists. Favourite lines included “Do or do not, there is no try,” “Never tell me the odds,” and Han Solo’s perfectly delivered “I know.” Even James Earl Jones got the famous line wrong in an interview - he said “Luke, I’m your father” instead of the actual “No, I am your father.”The Empire Strikes Back is the highest-rated movie in Too Old or Movie Gold history - pure carbonite gold, no debate. If you haven’t revisited it lately, this episode is your sign.Too Old or Movie Gold is a Vancouver Island movie podcast hosted by Olen Vanderleeden, where classic films meet modern audiences through conversations about timeless movies, memorable performances and the stories behind some of cinema’s greatest productions. Too Old or Movie Gold is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.“The Empire Strikes Back isn’t about winning. It’s about learning that you might not - and I think that’s why Empire holds as a great movie.” - Matthew Stockton“Pure carbonite gold. It’s a slam dunk.” - Will Corry, Millennial comedianText us about this episodeYou can also voice message Too Old or Movie Gold and be a part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The Too Old or Movie Gold Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the show.Sponsor for this episode is Fireside Books.Check out The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as ThePULSECommunity.cahttps://thepulsecommunity.ca/Sign up for our weekly newsletter of the latest podcasts and contests!Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.#TooOldOrMovieGold #StarWars #EmpireStrikesBack #MayTheFourth #MoviePodcast #GenXvsMillennial #PureCarboniteGold #ThePulsePodcast #ThePulseCommunity #VancouverIslandSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Lisa Strogal is a Master Certified Coach, CEO and founding principal of Shadow Light Consulting Inc. With a long list of accomplishments, certifications and corporate experience behind her, Lisa has developed programs for leadership development and coaching curriculums leveraged in community, organizational, team and individual transformations.In this episode, Lisa joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to shine a light on some of the significant life events, choices and discoveries that have led her to her resiliency practice today. Her story invites us to sit with a harder question: are we truly living in alignment with our life's purpose, or have we been quietly hiding from it?Lisa speaks candidly about the courage it takes to stop hiding - from ourselves, from our purpose, and from the changes we know, deep down, that we need to make. Drawing on her work in leadership development and coaching, she reflects on how honesty with ourselves becomes the foundation for genuine resilience, and how alignment, not achievement, is often the real measure of a life well lived.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!#LisaStrogal #ResilienceProject #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompsonSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Roy Henry Vickers spent his 80th birthday thinking about the schoolhouse he was born in, and this year he's released a fifty-year retrospective built from more than 400 works of his art. Meanwhile, Kyle Gilson has spent nine fire seasons leading a BC Wildfire Service crew right here on Vancouver Island, and he takes us inside the first hour after the call comes in. Two Vancouver Islanders, two very different callings, and a lot to learn from both.This Episode Features:(22:28) Roy Henry Vickers is celebrating two milestones this year: his 80th birthday and the release of his new retrospective, The Best of Roy Henry Vickers: 80 Selected Works, co-created with longtime collaborator Lucky Budd. Drawing on more than 50 years and 400 works, the book traces the arc of one of Canada's most recognized Indigenous artists, from his early years working in traditional Tsimshian, Haida and Heiltsuk forms to the contemporary, colour-rich style that became his signature. Roy talks about being born in the back room of the schoolhouse where his mother taught. Roy has been honoured with the Order of Canada, the Order of BC, a Grammy nomination and, this year, an honorary doctorate. Roy Henry Vickers Gallery.(06:00) Kyle Gilson has spent nine years on the front lines of wildfire response with BC Wildfire Service, all of them here on mid-Vancouver Island. As an initial attack crew leader based out of the Errington Fire Base, Kyle leads a four-person crew whose job is to reach a new fire fast and stop it in its tracks. He walks us through the first hour after a call comes in, why island fires burn differently than those in the BC Interior, and what it was like fighting the 2023 Cameron Lake fire and last year's Wesley Ridge fire, the largest wildfire response in Vancouver Island's history. Kyle explains why FireSmart preparation makes such a difference for crews arriving at a structure, and why - despite the long hours - the camaraderie makes it one of the most enjoyable jobs he can imagine. He's been deployed as far as the Yukon and Ontario, fighting fire in every corner of the province. BC Wildfire ServiceThe PULSE Community Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, featuring conversations with musicians, authors, actors, athletes, business leaders and community builders from Vancouver Island, British Columbia and beyond. The PULSE Community Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.Episode Quotes:“Maybe you should try and express yourself as who you are today, not as who you would be if you were here before colonialism happened.” - Roy Henry Vickers“The most underestimated part, I would say, is how enjoyable the job can be... the camaraderie is huge.” - Kyle GilsonLISTEN: We have had the chance to talk to many authors from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Authors page.Text us about this episodeVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Beachfest, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Fireside Books & Ian Lindsay & AssociatesCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#RoyHenryVickers #KyleGilson #BCWildfire #IndigenousArt #Tofino #VancouverIsland #Wildfire #ThePULSEPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"On this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Parksville City Councillors Sean Wood and Joel Grenz sit down with Shayla Day, founder and CEO of DayHomes Society, a nonprofit serving the Oceanside region with outreach, food support, housing navigation, and community coordination. Shayla also chairs the Oceanside Homeless Task Force and co-chairs the Oceanside Community Action Team.Shayla brings a perspective most policy conversations don't have: she was homeless herself from age 11 to 21, and has spent the sixteen years since building a career in the sector she once relied on. She and the hosts talk through what “Housing First” actually means in practice, why detox and treatment beds are scarce between Nanaimo and Courtenay, and how coordinated regional shelter networks and case tracking work day to day for the people trying to get someone into care.They also get into the tension local councillors face when calls about people in crisis land on their desks, even though municipalities have no dedicated social services branch to respond. It's a candid, non-partisan look at where policy and frontline reality line up, and where they don't.Listen for:Shayla Day's own story of homelessness and addiction, and what it actually took to get cleanWhat “Housing First” means in practice, versus how the phrase gets used in policy debatesWhy there are no detox or treatment beds between Nanaimo and Courtenay, and what that gap costs OceansideHow coordinated regional shelter networks and case tracking work between communitiesWhat falls to local councillors when social service calls land on their desk, and what doesn'tVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: nonpartisanhacks.comVoice message: https://thepulsecommunity.ca/contact/You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube Podcasts, and SkookumKids.com.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on guests, contests and more: https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup#ThePulsePodcast #VancouverIslandPodcasts #NonPartisanHacks #Oceanside #Parksville #QualicumBeach #Homelessness #HousingFirst #LocalGovernment #CivicEngagementSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Kim Wilkinson is a mother and Grief Recovery Specialist who lost her 22-year-old son, Tristan, to a drug overdose in November 2019. Through that loss, Kim discovered healing, recovery and transformation, and now works with others facing mental health challenges, PTSD, addiction and trauma as they move from suffering to empowerment.In this conversation with Cindy Thompson, Kim shares how Tristan's passing became, in an unexpected way, the catalyst for finding her own purpose. With a passion for learning, she opens up about the personal and family mental health challenges her journey through grief has surfaced, and how compassion, non-judgement and patience now shape the way she works with her clients.Kim has discovered firsthand how specific tools and techniques can bring healing and recovery, as well as abundance and success, into every area of life. She shares her thoughts on what we, as a community, can do today to make a difference for families living with grief, addiction and loss, and why she believes it was Tristan's purpose to help her find her own.This episode is dedicated to Tristan, and to every parent grieving the loss of a child to drug overdose. It is a conversation about resilience in its most honest form: not the absence of pain, but the willingness to keep moving through it, and to help others do the same.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caEpisode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!#KimWilkinson #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #whenthebodysaysno #perfectionism #VancouverIslandPodcasts  #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Harry Manx opens up about a life that took him from the Isle of Man to busking in Europe and Japan, and into the studio for his new album Falling Upwards, out this August as he tours Vancouver Island. Jen Bate of the McMillan Arts Centre shares what's coming to Parksville this summer, from the Wine Walk to a new gallery exhibit built around a real train car. This Episode Features: (19:50) Harry Manx is a Canadian guitarist and Mohan Veena player who has spent decades fusing Delta blues with Hindustani classical music into a sound critics call “Mysticsippi” blues. Based on Salt Spring Island, he has earned seven Maple Blues Awards and six Juno nominations. Harry talks about growing up on the Isle of Man, busking his way across Europe and Japan, and his new album Falling Upwards, out this August as he tours Vancouver Island. Contains the song “Pork Pie Turban”. Find out more at harrymanx.com.(07:17) Jen Bate is the executive director of the McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville, where she oversees a gallery, an art school, and a busy summer of community programming. Jen joins us to talk about the Parksville Wine Walk, a new gallery exhibit from pastel artist Joan Larson, and the MAC's Creative Kids day camps. Find out more at mcmillanartscentre.com.Episode Quotes: "My music is all about hitting people in the heart, and they feel something sweet." - Harry Manx"This art centre is your art centre. It's our community celebrating everything: art, music." - Jen Bate We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, YouTube and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Click here to learn how to Support the show.Episode Sponsors: Beachfest, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Tablet Pharmacy & Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on guests, contests and more.Like, Share & Listen!#PULSEPodcast #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandPodcasts #HarryManx #JenBate #McMillanArtsCentre #FallingUpwards #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #VancouverIslandMusicSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"It has been 31 years since Roland Emmerich’s Stargate first sent Kurt Russell and James Spader through an ancient portal to a desert planet ruled by a false god - and the Too Old or Movie Gold crew just stepped back through to find out if it still holds up. Host Olen Vanderleeden of the Comox Valley is joined by Gen X co-host Matthew Stockton, millennial wormhole expert Shawn, and Gen Z’s Nicole for one of the show’s most lively debates yet.The gang digs into the best parts - the iconic Stargate opening effect that still delivers after all these years, O’Neill and Skaara’s bonding scenes, and the film’s surprisingly thoughtful faith in intellect over brute force. They also get into the worst parts: a rushed ending, Ra’s two-glider air force, and the classic freeze-and-enhance trope. There’s fascinating behind-the-scenes trivia too - including how early test screenings nearly killed the film before the Ra character was transformed with an alien voice, and how Kurt Russell talked a reluctant James Spader off the ledge with one perfectly blunt pep talk.The box office numbers surprised the crew - Stargate earned enough internationally to rank third in 1994, ahead of True Lies, Speed, and Pulp Fiction. Critics Siskel and Ebert both gave it thumbs down, but audiences disagreed, and 400 hours of spinoff content proved who was right in the long run. The episode closes with a unanimous Pure Gold verdict - not because it’s a perfect film, but because the concept is stellar and the legacy is undeniable. Oh, and the dream remake cast? Jon Hamm, Rami Malek, and Lady Gaga as Ra. Hollywood, take note.“When that gate spins and the water ripples, I still feel the same excitement that something big’s gonna happen.” - Matthew, co-host“I liked it. It was fun. It killed two hours. I enjoyed it. I thought it was cute.”- Nicole, Gen Z co-hostYou’ll find all episodes of The Too Old or Movie Gold Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the show.Sponsor for this episode is Fireside Books.Check out The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as ThePULSECommunity.cahttps://thepulsecommunity.ca/Sign up for our weekly newsletter of the latest podcasts and contests!“Share, Like & Listen!”#TooOldOrPureGold #Stargate1994 #MoviePodcast #SciFiClassic #GenXvsMillennial #KurtRussell #JamesSpader #RolandEmmerich #ThePulsePodcast #ThePulseCommunity #VancouverIslandPodcastsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Karen Alcantara joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share her journey from self-proclaimed "Ghetto Girl" to emotional support worker. Drawing on her teenage experience with gang life, Karen speaks candidly about the seduction of belonging, the search for community, and what was missing for her growing up.One of twelve siblings and the daughter of an immigrant mother from the Dominican Republic, Karen reflects on the strength and pain woven through generations of her family's experience with poverty. That foundation led her to a career supporting some of Vancouver's most vulnerable people - working on the Downtown East Side, helping survivors of sexual assault at the WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, and serving on an advisory committee for a UN women's initiative to create safer cities.Karen's story is one of resilience shaped by hardship and redirected into purpose. Her conversation with Cindy is a reminder of the value of human connection, and of what becomes possible when we choose to remember the humanity in each other. Tune in to hear Karen's full story of transformation, community, and resilience.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: thepulsecommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!#KarenAlcantara #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #Psychology #DowntownEastSide #GangLife #AncestralResilience  #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Major Sergii Kachanov has watched need at the Mount Arrowsmith Food Bank climb toward last year's total in just five months, and he explains exactly what's driving it and how the community can help. Then novelist C.C. Humphreys, fresh off two brand-new books, talks about trading Salt Spring Island for the English countryside, writing a career's worth of thrillers, and why research is the springboard for imagination.This Episode Features:(07:08) Major Sergii Kachanov, corps officer and pastor of The Salvation Army Mount Arrowsmith in Parksville, joins the podcast to talk about the growing need at the food bank he and his wife, Major Tatiana Kachanov, have run since arriving back on the island in 2016. In the last five months alone, the food bank has served 4,591 families, already closing in on all of last year's total of 8,200. Sergii walks through what a first visit looks like, the volunteers who make it all possible, and what the food bank needs most right now. parksvillesalvationarmy.ca(24:57) Chris Humphreys, known to his readers as C.C. Humphreys, is a playwright, actor, and award-winning author of more than 20 novels. Born in Toronto and raised in London, he spent thirteen years on Salt Spring Island before moving back to England, where he now lives in Devon. He joins the podcast with two brand-new books, One London Day and The Double Life of Eve Sinclair, and talks about research, reinvention, and why story is always king. authorchrishumphreys.comEpisode Quotes:“They do work, and they simply can't cope with the rise in prices and the big increase in rent.” - Major Sergii Kachanov“Research is the springboard for the imagination - but story is king.” - C.C. HumphreysLISTEN: We have had the chance to talk to many authors from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Authors page.Voice message and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Click here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Beachfest, Fireside Books, Tablet Pharmacy & Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#FoodBank #SalvationArmy #CCHumphreys #Author #VancouverIsland #Parksville #QualicumBeach #PULSECommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Every spring, property tax season brings the same wave of confusion, and Parksville City Councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood are digging into it head-on in this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks. Using the City of Parksville as a case study, they break down why a single property tax bill is actually a bundle of separate charges from multiple levels of government - the city, the regional district, the regional hospital district, the school tax, the library board, and BC Assessment - all rolled into one invoice.Joel and Sean tackle the question they hear constantly: if the City of Parksville raised taxes 5.8% this year, why did some residents see their total bill jump 12 or 13%? The answer, they explain, comes down to how each of those other agencies sets its own rate independently, and how BC Assessment values shift the share each homeowner pays. A bigger jump in your property's assessed value compared to your neighbours can mean a bigger slice of the tax bill, even if the municipal rate barely moves.The conversation also covers the BC homeowner grant, which hasn't kept pace with rising costs since it was introduced decades ago, the property tax deferral program and its recently increased interest rate, and the ongoing debate over taxing property value versus income. Joel and Sean close with practical advice: if your tax bill feels out of step with what you expected, appealing your assessment is an option, but sitting down for a coffee with your local councillor or mayor may be the more useful first step to understanding exactly where your money goes.Listen for:• Why your property tax bill bundles charges from the city, regional district, hospital district, school tax, library board, and BC Assessment into one invoice• How BC Assessment values, not just the municipal tax rate, determine how much of the total bill lands on your property• What the homeowner grant, the tax deferral program, and a coffee with your local councillor can (and can't) do to ease the pinchVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: nonpartisanhacks.comVoice message: https://thepulsecommunity.ca/contact/You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube Podcasts, and SkookumKids.comSign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on all things The PULSE Podcast: https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignupClick here to learn how to Support the showLike, Share & Listen!#PropertyTaxes #ParksvilleBC #QualicumBeach #VancouverIsland #LocalGovernment #NonPartisanHacksSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Shannon Bergstrom joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the cost of chasing impossible standards. A teacher, wife, and mother, Shannon shares how childhood loss shaped her instinct to keep the peace - and how two experiences of burnout finally taught her to listen to her body.After losing her younger sister as a pre-teen, Shannon found herself internalizing emotion and quietly managing everyone else’s comfort - a pattern that followed her into adulthood. It took two significant episodes of burnout for her to connect the dots between that early experience and the way stress was showing up in her body. In this conversation, she talks candidly about setting boundaries, releasing the need for external validation, and trusting her body’s signals as part of her resilience practice.If you’ve ever sought your worth through other people’s approval, this episode offers a path back to yourself.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#ShannonBergstrom #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #whenthebodysaysno #perfectionism #VancouverIslandPodcastsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"LISTEN HERE: Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Doug Pickard has spent more than 13 years proving that boxing gloves and conga drums can push back against a disease with no cure, turning rhythm itself into therapy for people living with Parkinson's. Virginia Worcester is making sure no child in School District 69 goes hungry on the weekend, building a 100 percent volunteer program that now feeds nearly 100 families a month. This Episode Features:(06:47) Virginia Worcester, founder of the Hands & Hearts Food Program, joins the podcast. What began in 1997 as a Christmas hamper drive for five or ten families has grown into a fully volunteer-run program delivering weekly food hampers to nearly 100 families across School District 69, all of it funded entirely by donations with zero administration costs. Virginia explains how the program partners with the school district to keep families anonymous and dignified, why she insists on purchasing every item rather than accepting donated goods, and how the need has grown from 75 to 98 families in just the past year. Find out more about the Hands & Hearts Food Program.(20:35) Doug Pickard of Parksville joins the podcast. A coach, advocate, and drum circle leader, Doug has spent more than 13 years helping people with Parkinson's fight back through exercise, from his Rock Steady Boxing affiliate to his own drumming program, Dopa Beats. Doug walks through how a single client in a now-closed Parksville gym led him to become one of the first Canadian ambassadors for the Davis Phinney Foundation, why large purposeful movement and rhythm can cause real-time changes in the brain, and what it was like presenting his work to 170 people at the Movement Fair in Las Vegas. He also talks about Pedaling for Parkinson's, his Zoom cycling program now reaching participants as far away as Paraguay. Learn more about Dopa Beats.Episode Quotes:“When you give me $100, you know that $100 is going directly to buy food for the kids in our community.” - Virginia Worcester“If you don’t learn about the disease, if you don’t learn about Parkinson’s, you can’t be as effective as possible. You have to learn how to be empathetic and understand what they’re going through.” - Doug PickardVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Fireside Books & Parksville BeachfestCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTubeSign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#DougPickard #DopaBeats #RockSteadyBoxing #Parkinsons #HandsAndHearts #VirginiaWorcester #SchoolDistrict69 #VancouverIsland #ThePulsePodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #QualicumBeachSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"What happens when you gather two Gen Xers who worship a comedy classic, two Millennials seeing it fresh, and one very unimpressed holdout? You get the most hilariously divided episode of Too Old or Movie Gold yet.Hosts Olan VanderLinden and Matthew Stockton of the Comox Valley are joined by comedian Will Corry, Debbie, and Sean to revisit the 1980 comedy classic Airplane! - written and directed by the legendary ZAZ trio (Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers). The verdict from most of the panel? Pure gold. But Sean has entered the chat, and Sean is not having it.The episode digs deep into what makes Airplane! a masterclass in comedy - the wall-to-wall gags, the genius of casting deadpan dramatic actors like Leslie Nielsen (whose career was almost finished before this film revived it), and the sheer rewatchability that still reveals new jokes decades later. The panel shares their personal favourite bits, debates how many jokes Millennials actually catch, and marvels at a movie that earned $83 million on a $3.5 million budget and landed a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.There are also some remarkable behind-the-scenes facts: the film was pitched to the studio as "Animal House on a plane," the rights to the source material were purchased for just $2,500, and the directors legally changed their names so all three could get directing credits. Oh - and MythBusters confirmed a regular person actually could land a plane using only instructions from the tower.And then there's Sean - who gave it a two out of ten and would rather rewatch Escape From New York. Surely he can't be serious. Don't call him Shirley.“This is my favorite type of humor. This is one of a handful of comedy movies that actually makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it.” - Olan VanderLinden“When being random is your hook, if that's all you got, you got nothing.” - Sean, the lone dissenterYou can also voice message Too Old or Movie Gold and be a part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The Too Old or Movie Gold Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the show.Sponsor for this episode is Fireside Books.Check out The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as ThePULSECommunity.caSign up for our weekly newsletter of the latest podcasts and contests!“Share, Like & Listen!”#TooOldOrPureGold #Airplane1980 #MoviePodcast #ComedyClassic #LeslieNielsen #GenXvsMillennials #ThePulsePodcast #ThePulseCommunity #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandPodcastsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Pam Botterill joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share what she calls a good-news story of adoption. An Indigenous woman from the Wei Wai Kum First Nation in Campbell River, BC, Pam was adopted at nine months old and raised by a non-Indigenous family in Powell River, BC.In this episode, Pam reflects on the unexpected threads connecting the Celtic music of her upbringing to the drumming traditions of her Indigenous roots, finding a common rhythm between the two worlds she belongs to. She shares the emotional experience of meeting her biological mother and siblings for the first time, and how that reunion deepened her understanding of family and identity.Pam’s story is, at its heart, about belonging - belonging to a family, a culture, and a community. That sense of belonging carried her through her battle with cancer, where the people around her became a source of strength and resilience.We invite you to listen to this conversation about identity, reconnection, and the many forms belonging can take.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!You’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. #PamBotterill #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #IndigenousAdoption #FirstNationsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Jamie Wollam grew up tapping along to Kiss and AC/DC records in Southern California, never imagining he'd spend sixteen years behind the kit for Tears for Fears - or that he'd find sobriety and a recording studio on Salt Spring Island. And Carly Carey, a Nanaimo realtor who has faced cancer three times, is turning her own hardest years into Carly's House, a free place to stay for islanders travelling for treatment. This Episode Features:(22:00) Jamie Wollam, the drummer for Tears for Fears since 2010, joins the podcast. Raised in Southern California, Jamie got hooked on drums at a Kiss concert at age 10 and went on to tour and record with David Crosby, Jackson Browne, and Tom Morello, even playing on two posthumous Michael Jackson tracks. He talks candidly about the phone call that brought him into Tears for Fears, the hardest songs to play live, and the move to Salt Spring Island that gave him sobriety and a second act - including his home recording studio, the Monster House. Contains the song Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears. jamiewollamdrums.com(08:05) Carly Carey, a Nanaimo-based realtor, business leader, wife, and mother, has fought cancer three times. Drawing on her own experience travelling for treatment, she and her husband Morgan are turning a rental property into Carly's House, a free place for cancer patients who must come to Nanaimo for chemotherapy and radiation. Carly walks through the renovation, the partnership with the Nanaimo Hospital Foundation, and why dignity and community support are at the heart of the project.Episode Quotes:“I literally was driving up to Beverly Hills one day to do a recording session, and my phone rang... he goes, 'You want to be in Tears for Fears?'” - Jamie Wollam“Even at 18, I just had this sense of clarity around how privileged we were to have the means to drive to Victoria.” - Carly CareyWe've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Click here to learn how to Support the show.Episode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Tablet Pharmacy & Parksville Beach Festival.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”(Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears) SOCAN 5068600#TearsForFears #JamieWollam #SaltSpringIsland #CarlysHouse #CarlyCarey #VancouverIsland #PULSECommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #VancouverIslandNews #NanaimoNews Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"What happens when you screen a Hollywood firefighting blockbuster for actual firefighters? You get the most entertaining and most brutally honest episode of Too Old or Movie Gold yet.Hosts Olin VanderLeen and David Purcell of the Comox Valley invited a special all-firefighter panel to weigh in on Ron Howard’s 1991 action classic, Backdraft: volunteer firefighter Michael, and sibling duo Caitlin and Trevor Holme of the Nanoose Bay Fire Department who come from a three-generation firefighting family, just like the brothers in the film.The verdict? The fire scenes are genuinely extraordinary. The firefighting? A glorious dumpster fire of Hollywood exaggeration. The panel hilariously dissected everything from heroes running into burning buildings without masks or hoses, to cowboy-style solo antics that would end careers today. As Michael put it, it was “almost a movie of how to not do anything correct.”But it’s not all laughs at Hollywood’s expense. The group digs into what the film does beautifully - Donald Sutherland’s scene-stealing performance, fascinating behind-the-scenes production details (including a fireproof camera operator who literally walked through real flames), and how the movie treats fire itself as a living, breathing character.Backdraft earned $152 million on a $40 million budget and holds a 72% Rotten Tomatoes critic score. But does it still hold up in 2026? Two Gen Xers who loved it, two Gen Z firefighter siblings watching it fresh, and a crew of people who actually fight fires for a living all weigh in.“You go in as a team. You’ve got a partner. You do not leave your partner. You go in with them, you come out with them.” - David Purcell“I thought it was very Hollywood, but you know, I was able to sit through it fairly well, so that says something, I guess.” - Caitlin, Gen Z firefighterYou can also voice message Too Old or Movie Gold and be a part of the podcast! You’ll find all episodes of The Too Old or Movie Gold Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the show.Sponsor for this episode is Fireside Books.Check out The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as ThePULSECommunity.cahttps://thepulsecommunity.ca/Sign up for our weekly newsletter of the latest podcasts and contests!“Share, Like & Listen!”#TooOldOrPureGold #Backdraft1991 #MoviePodcast #FirefighterLife #GenXvsGenZ #RonHoward #KurtRussell #ThePulsePodcast #ThePulseCommunity #VancouverIslandSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeKatie Bergman is a writer and social justice advocate who has devoted a decade to the non-profit sector, specialising in human trafficking interventions. After experiencing trauma and burnout at the frontlines of humanitarian work, she wrote When Justice Just Is to open a conversation about inner wellbeing and social change.In this episode:Katie Bergman joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the deeply personal story behind When Justice Just Is - her first book and a call to those doing the hard, often invisible work of helping others.Over ten years in the non-profit sector, Katie worked with teams around the world - preventing labour exploitation among migrant workers in rural Cambodia, supporting survivors of human trafficking in the US, and protecting at-risk girls from abuse in Bulgaria. It was extraordinary, purposeful work. It was also work that took a toll. A few years in, Katie began to see how individual, systemic, and societal factors were quietly eroding the wellbeing of people in helping roles - including her own.After her own experience of trauma and burnout at the frontlines, she did what writers do: she wrote about it. When Justice Just Is is a book about self-stewardship for people who give deeply to the world - and a reminder that caring for ourselves is not separate from caring for others. It’s the foundation of it.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Katie Bergman: whenjusticejustis.comYou’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#KatieBergman #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #WhenJusticeJustIs #humantrafficking #nonprofit #selfstewardship #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Cheryl Dill has spent years helping build one of Vancouver Island's most beloved summer traditions into an internationally recognized event drawing visitors from all over the world. Laura Palmer is nine seasons into a true crime podcast built on patience, rigour, and deep respect for victims and their families. Two very good reasons to be proud of these Vancouver Islanders.This Episode Features:(34:10) Laura Palmer, host of the award-winning podcast Island Crime, has just launched Season 9 - a series called "The Dead File," investigating the unsolved 1959 double murder of Elizabeth and Andrew Kosonic in South Wellington, just south of Nanaimo. Laura was approached by the couple's great-great-granddaughter, who has spent years researching the tragedy on her own. The title comes from a stamp on the actual police folder - "dead file, no further work to be done." Laura talks about the remarkable access she had to coroner's reports, autopsy records, and a psychiatric file, and why the RCMP is still reluctant to release the full investigation file 67 years on. She also updates listeners on Season 1's Lisa Marie Young case and reflects on what separates responsible true crime journalism from exploitation.(9:15) Cheryl Dill, president of the Parksville Beach Festival Society, joins us to talk about the festival that drew nearly 120,000 visitors in 2025 - one of the highest attendance figures since 2015. Cheryl walks us through the new sand sculpting site, this-year's "Beauties and Beasts" theme chosen by sculptors and the public together, and the magic of seeing those works illuminated at night. She talks about the volunteer army of 200-plus people who make it all happen, the international reach of a festival that draws visitors from Japan, Australia, Madagascar, and beyond, and the Blue Rodeo concert that represents the biggest concert undertaking in the festival's history. April Wine headlines the opening weekend concert on July 11th. Tickets and details at parksvillebeachfest.ca.Episode Quotes:"Everybody counts or nobody counts. That certainly seemed true to me in Andrew and Elizabeth's case." - Laura Palmer"When you look at that diversity of visitors and where they come from by evidence of the pins on the map - it's incredible. Greenland. Japan. Australia. New Zealand. Madagascar. They're identifying that they're coming from all over." - Cheryl DillVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Thrifty Foods Parksville, Ian Lindsay & Associates & BeachfestCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTubeSign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!"Like, Share & Listen!"#ParksvilleBeachFest #BeachFest #VancouverIsland #IslandCrime #TrueCrime #PULSECommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews #AprilWine #BlueRodeo #SandSculptingSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"What happens when the province can't move fast enough and people in your city need help now? In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Marianne Alto, Mayor of the City of Victoria, recorded live at the AVICC convention.Victoria is BC's capital city - a mid-sized municipality shouldering an outsized share of the region's housing pressures, homelessness, and mental health and addiction challenges. Mayor Alto talks candidly about what it looks like when a city decides to stop waiting: building 97 new shelter and transitional housing spaces, creating a first-of-its-kind Community Safety, Wellbeing, and Partnerships department, and funding nonprofit service providers when senior governments can't or won't.She also shares what she's learned about courage, accountability, and adaptability - and why standing in a room full of people yelling at you is sometimes just part of the job.Listen for:• How Victoria exceeded its provincial housing targets - and why Mayor Alto was eager to be picked first• Why Victoria carries more than 80% of the region's social services - and what she's doing about it• The story behind the Dollar Place facility: two public meetings, hundreds of angry residents, and a decision she'd make again• How the city's Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan is funding nonprofits to do what the province hasn't• What she told her council on inauguration day: "Listen, think, and then do good work"• Advice for elected officials deciding whether to run again - including a frank conversation about vitriol in public lifeText us about this episode: Send us a textVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: nonpartisanhacks.comVoice message: https://thepulsecommunity.ca/contact/You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube Podcasts, TikTok, and PULSECommunity.caSpecial Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube Podcasts, and SkookumKids.comSign up for our weekly newsletter at https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignupClick here to learn how to Support the showLike, Share & Listen!#NonPartisanHacks #VancouverIslandPodcasts #LocalGovernment #BCPolitics #MunicipalGovernance #VancouverIsland #VictoriaBC #HousingCrisis #Homelessness #CivicEngagement #PULSECommunitySupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you’ve ever been told you can’t - and refused to accept it - this episode is for you. Kaleb Dahlgren speaks from a place of hard-won strength: as a survivor of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, a #1 bestselling author, a community builder, and a young man who spent his entire hockey career proving the doubters wrong. His story is one of extraordinary resilience layered upon resilience, told with a vulnerability that makes it genuinely unforgettable.In this episode:Kaleb Dahlgren joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the journey behind his memoir ‘Crossroads’ - and what it truly means to find strength in vulnerability.After losing 16 members of his Broncos family in the tragic 2018 crash, Kaleb navigated grief on a scale most people will never face. Yet his story of beating the odds began long before that April night. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age four, he was told by hockey coaches and scouts that he would never succeed in the sport. Rather than stepping back, he used that negativity as fuel - working relentlessly to play at the highest level of hockey each year of his young career.Inspired by his own challenges, Kaleb founded Dahlgren’s Diabeauties, a program that uses hockey to raise awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and support children living with the disease. In 2018, he received the Canadian Volunteer Award for Emerging Leader of the Prairies. He graduated from York University with a Commerce degree, was named the Most Outstanding Male Graduate for Varsity Athletics, and is now forging his next path as a chiropractic student and keynote speaker.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#KalebDahlgren #ResilienceProject #HumboldtBroncos #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #VancouverIslandPodcasts #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Ethan Askey has carried a harmonica in his pocket for the better part of 30 years - from campfires on the Alsek River to festival stages in Europe, from Junior Wells' living room in Chicago to the studio in Kimberley where his new album Outside the Lines was born. He is a storyteller who found the blues by digging backwards through his dad's record collection, and every story he tells feels like a song. Ron Thorogood built a life around cars and the community they carry - from drag strips in Calgary to leading the charge to bring one of Vancouver Island's most beloved summer events back to the beach at Parksville Community Park on July 5th.This Episode Features:(28:32) Ethan Askey is a singer, songwriter, and blues harmonica player based in Cranbrook, BC. Known in music circles as Shorty, he spent decades as a sideman and session player before stepping out front with his 2022 debut album Walk When You Wanna Run, which spent over 160 weeks on the Canada Roots and Blues Top 50. He leads Ethan Askey and the Elevators, whose new album Outside the Lines is now out and features contributions from Steve Marriner, Susie Vinnick, and Jimmy Bowskill. Ethan talks about walking a fish through the South Side of Chicago to Junior Wells' door, headlining the Baltic Blues Festival in Germany, and what 30 years of always having a harmonica in your pocket really means. Contains the song "Swing Like That." ethanaskey.com(07:58) Ron Thorogood is one of the key organizers behind the Parksville Car and Bike Show - the revived, rebranded Van Isle Show and Shine returning to Parksville Community Park on July 5th. Ron moved to Vancouver Island from Calgary nine years ago, bringing a lifetime of drag racing history with him, including a 1970 Plymouth Duster 340 that won back-to-back pro titles in 2000 and 2001 and that he owned for 50 years. He talks about reviving a show that once drew a thousand cars to the beach, why there are no judges and no trophies, and why - for him - it has never really been about the cars. https://www.car-show.ca/Episode Quotes:"It has nothing to do with a car. Really what's behind the car is the people. The whole community of people is what drives me." - Ron Thorogood"Everywhere I go, I've got a harmonica in my pocket. It's a thing." - Ethan AskeyWe've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.Text us about this episodeVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Fireside Books, Thrifty Foods Parksville & Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!"Like, Share & Listen!"#EthanAskey #OutsideTheLines #BluesHarmonica #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleCarShow #VancouverIslandMusic #ThePULSEPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews  Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you or someone you love has ever felt like an outsider in a world that wasn’t built for the way your mind works, Santiago Dominguez speaks directly to that experience. Diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Santiago opens up about the exhausting daily effort of navigating school, building relationships, and searching for a sense of value in a world that often misunderstood him. His story is one of hard-won resilience - and a powerful reminder that difference is not deficit.In this episode:Santiago Dominguez joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share what it truly meant to grow up with high-functioning autism in a world that rarely made space for the way he experienced it.For Santiago, every school day felt like a war - a constant negotiation between who he was and what the world expected him to be. Complex peer relationships and a deep desire to be understood shaped his early years. But through it all, he found his way to something more grounding: a rediscovery of his own value, on his own terms.Now 24, Santiago is a real estate photographer, a history student at Vancouver Island University, a high school tutor, and a youth coordinator at Maranatha Church in Nanaimo, BC. Through his work with teenagers facing similar struggles, he channels his own experience into something purposeful - helping young people see what he had to learn for himself: that autism is a personality, not a disability. The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!"Like, Share & Listen!"#SantiagoDominguez #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #autism #highfunctioningautism #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Matt Sager brings a 1940 Ford five-window coupe and a classroom full of students to turn a rescue car into a raffle that could raise a million dollars for the kids at Cowichan District Hospital. Sam Wiebe has spent a decade building one of the most compelling crime fiction series in Canadian literature, and his sixth Wakeland novel takes the detective out of his Vancouver comfort zone and into the Fraser Valley - where ghost guns, a teenager in danger, and a corporate consulting gig he hates are all waiting. This Episode Features: (26:00) Matt Sager of Mill Bay became known across Canada as the star of the History Channel's Lost Car Rescue, hunting down forgotten classics from barns, ravines, and forests alongside his brother Steve. Now he's channeling that passion into Classics for Kids - a program he built at Queen Margaret's School in Duncan where students are restoring a 1940 Ford five-window coupe from a Langford garage to show-ready condition. The car, owned by the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation, will be unveiled at a car show on July 5th at the school and then tour western Canada as a rolling raffle with a million-dollar fundraising target for the pediatric ward. https://bit.ly/ClassicsForKidsQMS (07:47)  Sam Wiebe is an award-winning, best-selling author of Pacific Northwest crime fiction based in New Westminster, BC. His Dave Wakeland series has earned him the Crime Writers of Canada Award and the Kobo Emerging Writers Prize. In his sixth Wakeland novel, Guns Across the River, private eye Dave Wakeland pulls a teenager named Nicola from False Creek - and finds himself chasing a shipping container of untraceable ghost guns from Vancouver's back alleys all the way to the Fraser Valley. Sam also previews his forthcoming nonfiction book Shot in Vancouver, a deep dive into the movies and TV series filmed in BC. https://samwiebe.com/ Episode Quotes:"Pairing someone who's been through the wringer and is very much a lone wolf with a teenager who's in danger, but is also capable of violence and going down the wrong path herself - I thought would just be an interesting challenge to Dave." - Sam Wiebe "The ultimate goal is to have the kids have this amazing well-rounded experience about using their hands to create something that is greater than themselves - for the greater good of other children." - Matt SagerLISTEN: We have had the chance to talk to many authors from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Authors page.Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Fireside Books & Thrifty Foods ParksvilleCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube, as well as SkookumKids.comSign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”#SamWiebe #CrimeFiction #WakelandSeries #VancouverIsland #ClassicsForKids #MattSager #CowichanValley #ThePULSEPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Recorded live at the AVICC convention in Victoria, this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks brings a remarkable guest to the mic. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Marianne Meed Ward - Mayor of Burlington, Ontario and co-founder of ElectRespect - to talk about the growing crisis of harassment, abuse, and threats facing elected officials at every level of government. Marianne has received death threats, been told by police not to attend her own public meetings, and watched colleagues leave elected life entirely because the personal cost was too high. Rather than stepping back, she helped launch a national movement. ElectRespect is now a cross-country campaign with hundreds of elected officials and over 60 municipalities signed on - the pledge is straightforward: commit to respectful democracy, lead by example, and ask the same of colleagues and constituents.Listen for:• The real-life incidents - including death threats linked to a local development application - that pushed Mayor Meed Ward to act• Why the tools available to municipalities to deal with misconduct are dangerously limited• How social media, bots, and post-COVID anonymity turbocharged political toxicity at the local level• Why women, people of colour, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQ officials face a distinctly more personal and threatening form of abuse• What ElectRespect is actually asking people to do - and how any elected official or member of the public can sign the pledge today• Why changing the culture has to start with politicians themselves Text us about this episode: Send us a text Visit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/ Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast! You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca. Special Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca. Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts. Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup Click here to learn how to Support the show "Like, Share & Listen!"#NonPartisanHacks #LocalGovernment #MunicipalPolitics #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #CivicEngagement #ElectRespect #Democracy #BCPolitics #MarianneWeedWardSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you've ever wondered what it takes to break a cycle - of trauma, of violence, of generational pain, this episode is for you. Henry McKay speaks with a clarity and courage that only comes from having lived through the very things he now works to prevent.In this episode:Henry McKay joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share a story of intergenerational trauma and intergenerational resilience - and the critical elements that helped him find his way through.Henry is a father and fourth-year Social Work student at the University of Manitoba. Drawing on his own experiences with childhood trauma, abuse, poverty, oppression, drug dealing, and street gang involvement, he speaks honestly about what it meant to move from a life of alcoholism and violence into one of healing, hope, and purpose.Today, Henry works as an Action Therapist with at-risk youth in the child welfare system. His mission is to help prevent or reduce the harm of substance use and gang involvement, while introducing Indigenous ceremony to youth navigating some of the same circumstances he once faced. In asking "if not you, then who?" - he answers that question every day with his work and his presence.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!"Like, Share & Listen!"#HenryMcKay #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #intergenerationaltrauma #indigenousyouth #healing #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Kyle McKearney stopped chasing what the industry told him to be, went home, made the record he wanted to make, and had it mixed by the same engineer behind Chris Stapleton and Beyonce. Eva Hilborn decided at 95 that she wasn't done yet - and built a literacy charity from scratch that now puts free books in the hands of 500 children every month. Two guests who took their own road, and made something remarkable.This Episode Features:(25:23) Kyle McKearney, Metis singer-songwriter and frontman of The Outliers, is bringing his To The River Tour to Vancouver Island this summer - including Sunfest at Laketown Ranch, Rock the Range in Qualicum Beach, and the Parksville Museum Concert Series. Raised in Fort St. John and now based in Alberta, Kyle grew up in a musical family - his dad spent eight years chasing Nashville with the East Coast Riders, and his grandparents played dances and weddings across western Canada. Kyle co-produced his most recent album with Russell Broom, had it mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson, Beyonce) and had five songs featured in the season 18 finale of Heartland. His band, The Outliers - which includes his wife Sarah on vocals and guitar - plays country, Americana, and bluegrass with a soul and swagger all their own. Contains the song “Wedding Day”. https://www.imkylemckearney.com/(06:16) Eva Hilborn, retired early childhood educator and founder of the Wonderful World of Books, started her charity at age 95, inspired by Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Now 99, Eva is still involved in the program that delivers free, personalized books to 500 children across School District 69 every month - from birth to age four. What began with 25 books delivered by neighbours in Bowser has grown into a volunteer-powered organization with 50 to 70 dedicated volunteers, multiple grants and sponsors, and a partnership with the Qualicum Beach library. Kathy Van Herwaarden serves as vice president. Eva's secret to a long and active life? Keep busy. Keep a job. Do something positive. https://thewonderfulworldofbooks.com/Episode Quotes:“It just has its own thing - it's a group of highly skilled, highly talented musicians who have a lot of swagger and soul and could essentially play any genre of music.” - Kyle McKearney“Children who have 80 or more books in their home progress greater. The children, they're happy to get a book each month.” - Eva HilbornVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Tablet Pharmacy, Society of Organized Services (SOSD69) & Ian Lindsay & AssociatesCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube, as well as SkookumKids.comSign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”(Wedding Day - McKearney)#KyleMcKearney #ToTheRiverTour #VancouverIsland #VancouverIslandMusic #WonderfulWorldOfBooks #EvaHilborn #Literacy #SunFest #ThePULSEPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeWhat does it take to face the person who shattered your world? Carys Cragg was 11 years old when her father was murdered. Decades later, she chose to correspond with - and ultimately meet - the man responsible. Her story is not about forgiveness on demand. It is about what happens when you decide to walk toward your greatest fear, and what you find on the other side.In this episode:Carys Cragg joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the extraordinary journey behind her book Dead Reckoning: How I Came to Meet the Man Who Murdered My Father - a Globe & Mail Best 100 Book of 2017, finalist for the Hubert Evans BC Book Prize, and finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award.Carys opens up about complex trauma, grief, and the unexpected gifts that can emerge when we are willing to confront what we fear most. Beyond her personal story, Carys brings a professional lens to healing: she is faculty and coordinator in the Child & Youth Care degree program at Douglas College and is completing her Doctor of Education in educational leadership. This episode is dedicated to her father.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: https://thepulsecommunity.ca/Cindy Thompson's website: https://cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Carys Cragg: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/caryscraggYou'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TIK TOK and YouTube.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadbale colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! "Like, Share & Listen!"#CarysCragg #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #DeadReckoning #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode:Sean Thomas was 17 years old when he began producing Debbie Gibson's comeback album - the same year he was learning to drive a car. He then took his talents to Las Vegas as her music director, toured with New Kids on the Block and New Edition, and is now releasing his own music entirely on his own terms. Sarah Ronald turned a heritage village courtyard into a concert venue, dreamed up Parksville's longest hopscotch course, and is building a storytelling festival from scratch - because she believes a museum, like a library, has to keep evolving to stay alive. This Episode Features:(28:06) Sean Thomas is a 24-year-old Vancouver-born singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and voice actor who started playing piano at five, founded a charity that raised over $100,000 for BC Children's Hospital at age 11, and co-produced Debbie Gibson's first album in two decades while finishing his Berklee College of Music degree. He has since worked as a music director, writer, mixer, and producer for Joey McIntyre, New Kids on the Block, and New Edition. His debut single "Better" - written, recorded, produced, and mixed entirely himself - features over 100 stacked vocal layers built in his home studio. Sean is now preparing an independent EP and exploring live performance opportunities later this year. https://www.seanthomas.ca/(06:08) Sarah Ronald is the manager and curator of the Parksville Museum at Craig Heritage Park, overseeing eight heritage buildings, a rich regional archive, and a rapidly expanding calendar of community events. After 18 years as a theatre coordinator for the City of Port Moody, Sarah arrived in Parksville in spring 2024 and has since launched an artisan market, a concert series every Thursday in July, a juried art exhibit exploring repetition, and a multi-week storytelling festival for June featuring theatre, literary artists, spoken word, and workshops. She also drew Parksville's longest hopscotch course - all 300-plus hops of it. https://www.parksvillemuseum.com/Episode Quotes:"When I'm in a writing session or doing a production for something, I'll often just take a backseat or keep asking questions until they bring it out themselves - because when it comes from them and it's an idea they thought of, it's more inspired." - Sean Thomas"A lot of the items in here in some regard were precious to somebody, and you can tell. You can see these stories." - Sarah RonaldLISTEN: We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville & Fireside BooksCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#SeanThomas #VancouverIslandMusic #DebbieGibson #ParksvilleMuseum #CraigHeritagePark #VancouverIsland #PULSECommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Recorded on location at the AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities) Conference, this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks brings a familiar face to the mic. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome Parksville City Councillor Amit Gaur — their colleague at the council table since the 2022 election — for a candid conversation about what local government actually looks like from the inside.Amit came to politics without a political background, nudged into running by fellow Councillor Adam Frass after years of attending meetings and raising community concerns that were largely met with silence. Three and a half years later, he reflects on the learning curve, the limits of local authority, and what it means to serve a community of 15,000 people with delegated powers and a tight budget.The trio cover the gap between public perception and council reality — the misinformation that fills the space when communication falls short, the power of advocacy as a primary tool of local government, and why being nonpartisan is a genuine strategic advantage. They also highlight wins from the term: the short-term rental exemption for Parksville’s Resort Row, the Volunteer First Responder Tax Credit, Amit’s environmental advocacy at AVICC and UBCM, and the Mobi mat beach accessibility project.Listen for:Why Amit decided to run — and the one councillor who encouraged himWhat local government can and can’t do, and why advocacy is the most powerful tool on the tableHow miscommunication breeds misinformation — and what councillors can do about itThe short-term rental exemption win and why staying nonpartisan made the differenceWhat to look for in a candidate when no one knows what the next term will bringTwo priorities still in motion: the OCP revision and the drinking water sustainability studyText us about this episode: Send us a textVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to our Sponsor Ian Lindsay & Associates for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignupClick here to learn how to Support the show“Like, Share & Listen!”#PulseCommunityPodcast #publicengagement #ThePulseCommunity #SeanWood #JoelGrenz #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #NonPartisanHacks #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews #LocalGovernment #AmitGaurSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you've ever felt undone by circumstances that seemed, on the surface, ordinary - this episode is for you. Lynnsay Scollon speaks with remarkable honesty about how a series of seemingly small events converged into a perfect storm during her first year at the University of Victoria. Her willingness to name what many students quietly endure makes this episode both necessary and deeply human.In this episode:Lynnsay Scollon joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project for a vulnerable and authentic conversation about her experience as a first-year university student - and what she discovered about herself when the weight of it all became too much to carry.Navigating the pressures of a new environment, Lynnsay found herself facing the quiet, insidious nature of mental illness - and the way it can erode confidence from the inside out. She speaks candidly about how those experiences, though painful, became the very ground from which her resilience grew. Her story is a reminder that the hardest moments are often where we learn the most about who we are.Lynnsay brings a perspective shaped by lived experience and a genuine desire to reach others who may be facing similar walls. She reminds us that we are not alone on this journey - and that there is beauty, even in vulnerability.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.caEpisode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#LynnsayScollon #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #mentalhealth #studentlife #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Jeff Vircoe walked into a meeting on February 22nd, 1986, and hasn’t had a drink since. Today he’s president of Forward House - the Parksville-based nonprofit marking 25 years of steady, quiet service to people navigating mental health and addiction recovery. Bonnie Bartlett, Forward House’s public relations director, brings her own lived story to the work. And then there’s Tom Sewid: who identifies the Sayward region, the west coast near Nitinat Lake, and the Tofino area as the most active Sasquatch zones on Vancouver Island, and notes a pattern of increasing activity at the urban edge - including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville.This Episode Features:(07:48) Jeff Vircoe and Bonnie Bartlett join the podcast from Forward House, the Parksville-based nonprofit celebrating 25 years of service to adults living with mental health and addiction recovery challenges. Jeff - a Canadian Forces veteran, former journalist, and man in long-term recovery since 1988. He now serves as president of Forward House while working as a counsellor at Edgewood Treatment Centre. Bonnie brings her own family story to her role as marketing and public relations director, speaking candidly about what it means to grow up in a home shaped by alcoholism, and why reducing stigma starts with talking about it openly. They preview the May 23rd Public Education Forum at Knox United Church, featuring Dr. Ian King, one of BC’s top addiction medicine psychiatrists, alongside a panel of local health and community voices. forwardhouse.ca(31:11) Tom Sewid grew up in Alert Bay and attended high school in Qualicum Beach. Decades as a hunting guide and commercial fisherman along the BC coast gave him something few Sasquatch investigators can claim - a lifetime of direct, close-range encounters. Now based in Washington State, Tom leads guided expeditions is among the most sought-after speakers on the Sasquatch conference circuit. He traces his encounters from a childhood sighting near Campbell River with his father, to a night on Village Island aboard his commercial seine boat when two Sasquatches spent more than an hour visible by spotlight, to a 16-minute, 40-second FLIR video captured on Quadra Island in February - footage that remains among the most compelling thermal recordings on record. Tom studied alongside the late Dr. John Bindernagel for more than 25 years. He notes a pattern of increasing activity including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville. Tom will be speaking at Squatch Watch Vancouver Island.Episode Quotes:“I’ve been within five, six feet of a Sasquatch twice. I’ve had them around me well over 30 times through my life, living and working out in the coastal bush of British Columbia.” - Tom Sewid“If you’re feeling isolated, if you’re feeling scared, pick up the phone and give us a call or pop by our house. We’ve got a wonderful team here that are willing to talk with you. We just want you to know that you’re not alone, and there is hope.” - Bonnie BartlettVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode:If you've ever wondered what it looks like to say yes to a calling — even when it means leaving everything familiar behind - this episode is for you. Karen Huebert-Sanchez and Ricky Sanchez bring an energy and warmth to this conversation that is utterly contagious. Their story is one of extraordinary commitment, hard-won resilience, and the kind of purpose that doesn't waver even in the face of significant adversity.In this episode:Karen Huebert-Sanchez and Ricky Sanchez join Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about finding meaning and purpose while serving the community of Thailand - and the valuable lessons about resilience they have learned while creating loving homes for children living with HIV/AIDS.Karen knew from the time she was eight years old that she would one day start an orphanage. Over the past 20 years, she and Ricky have been on a mission to build safe, loving homes for children in Thailand who are orphaned at a young age and living with HIV/AIDS. Their work has expanded to include long-term partnerships with college athletes who play sports and teach clinics in impoverished communities across Thailand and Southeast Asia - a programme that is changing lives on both sides.In this conversation, Karen and Ricky open up about what they have learned about themselves while leaning into a deeply meaningful mission, how they celebrate the wins and navigate the inevitable adversities of doing their life's work far from home, and why the resilience they witness in the children they serve continues to inspire them every single day.This is a conversation about courage, compassion, and what happens when a spark — lit in childhood - becomes a beacon for an entire community.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caYou'll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca.Episode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#RickSanchez #KarenSanchez #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #Thailand #orphanage #HIV #Aids #sportsmissionsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Ajay Friese grew up on Vancouver Island, spent five years auditioning before landing Lost in Space, sang Bob Marley on screen, moved Laura Linney to tears with his debut single, and just released his first album - all before turning 30. Debora Gurrad gave up the classroom but never stopped teaching: as a certified Master Gardener she travels Campbell River to Nanaimo helping people understand what their soil is actually trying to tell them. Two guests, two origin stories rooted in Vancouver Island.This Episode Features:(33:39) Ajay Friese, actor and singer-songwriter, grew up on Vancouver Island and is best known as a series regular across all three seasons of the Netflix reboot Lost in Space. He has recently joined Kevin Kline and Laura Linney in the MGM+ family comedy American Classic. He has released his debut album Postcards - recorded under the name Blue Jay Friese - a deeply personal collection influenced by John Denver, four of whose songs were captured as live one-takes in studio. Ajay talks about the five years of ferry rides and Vancouver auditions before his career broke open, playing comedy opposite Kevin Kline, and what Laura Linney said when she heard his first single in the green room. He also walks through his multicultural upbringing and how that global perspective finds its way into his writing. Contains the song “The Road”. https://www.instagram.com/bluejay_friese/ (08:22) Debora Gurrad is a certified Master Gardener with the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association, a retired teacher who has been passionate about growing things since a university botany class lit the spark. She presents workshops on soil preparation, pruning, and food gardening from Campbell River to Nanaimo. Debora explains what the Master Gardener movement actually is, why soil preparation is always step one regardless of what you are planting, and which cool-weather crops you can put in the ground right now. She also offers a practical guide to managing the overwhelm of May - the busiest month in any garden. https://www.vimga.org/ Episode Quotes: "It took me completely by surprise, and it was like the most exciting thing I could possibly hear and the biggest compliment." — Ajay Friese (on being asked to sing on Lost in Space) "Everything, no matter what kind of garden you have — do your soil prep first." — Debora Gurrad We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page. Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast! You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca Click here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates and Fireside Books Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome back BC political reporter Rob Shaw - host of Political Capital and co-author of the bestselling A Matter of Confidence - for the “Criterion Edition” of his rant on first reading at the BC Legislature. They unpack what first reading actually does, why the NDP government’s growing habit of blocking opposition bills chips away at the institution, and how the same procedural dynamics show up around the municipal council table.From DRIPA to slates to the quiet collapse of caucus power, the conversation is part civics lesson, part warning shot, and very much in the Nonpartisan Hacks spirit of “the process matters as much as the outcome.”Listen for: What first reading actually is — and why blocking it is more serious than it soundsWhy the precedents this government sets will eventually be used against themThe municipal parallel: why “second for discussion” is a small but vital democratic normHow outrage clips and Facebook groups are turning every procedural vote into a wedgeWhy slates are the corrosive factor creeping into otherwise healthy local democraciesRob’s reliable forecast: every premier eventually falls — usually to someone you’ve never heard ofText us about this episode: Send us a textVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to Our Sponsor — Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!Click here to learn how to Support the show“Like, Share & Listen!”#PulseCommunityPodcast #publicengagement #ThePulseCommunity #SeanWood #JoelGrenz #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #NonPartisanHacks #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeWhat happens when you’ve achieved everything you set out to do - and it still isn’t enough? Rob de Toni, a litigation lawyer, and Heather Emmerzael, a Registered Nurse, both built successful careers and found themselves in full burnout. Their story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t about pushing through - sometimes it’s about having the courage to start over. In this episode:Rob de Toni and Heather Emmerzael join Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about what it truly means to reinvent yourself at any stage of life. As friends and colleagues who both navigated careers that left them depleted, Rob and Heather unpack what was missing, what they discovered about themselves, and what finally motivated them to make a radical shift toward who they were really meant to be.Their conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply relatable. Whether you’re questioning your own path or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that recognizing burnout is not failure - it’s the beginning of something truer. The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca Learn more about Rob de Toni & Heather Emmerzael: cynosurecoaching.com You’ll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca. Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts. Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup “Like, Share & Listen!” #RobdeToni #HeatherEmmerzael #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Chris Buck has written 500+ songs in Nashville, earned a gold record, and just cracked the top 40 as an independent artist - all while staying unmistakably Canadian. Jim Moroz and the Seaside Cruisers have built a Father's Day tradition that draws 20,000 visitors, 500 classic cars, and gives back to local charities every year. This Episode Features:(19:31) Chris Buck, BC-CCMA Award-winning country artist, spent seven years writing in Nashville - two songs a day, five days a week - and came back to Canada as an independent artist with a nineties-inspired album. He talks about his sobriety journey, collaborating with Gord Bamford and bringing Boots and Boats - a waterfront Singer-Songwriter Festival with 21 artists over three days - to Nanoose Bay for the very first time. This interview contains the song: One Step, Two Step. www.chrisbuckband.com(06:29) Jim Moroz, President of the Seaside Cruisers Car Club, the volunteer force behind one of Vancouver Island's most beloved annual traditions. The 33rd Father's Day Show and Shine rolls into downtown Qualicum Beach with up to 500 classic vehicles, a poker run, a Saturday night street dance, and a three-day weekend that draws between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors. Last year the club donated $30,900 to local charities. www.seasidecruizers.com Episode Quotes: "At the end of the day, if you can pay your bills and do what you love, you've won." — Chris Buck "For me, it's just seeing the joy in people's faces when they look at these cars. That makes you feel good." — Jim Moroz We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page. Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caEpisode Sponsors: Tablet Pharmacy, Fireside Books, Ian Lindsay & Associates & SOSD69 — Fore Our FamiliesCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube. Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! "Like, Share & Listen!"One, Two Step — Chris Buck SOCAN 5068600Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or teacher — or anyone who cares about the emotional wellbeing of a child — this episode is essential listening. Dr. Kirk Austin brings years of experience working with complex trauma in children and youth to a conversation that is as practical as it is profound. His framework for resilience isn't abstract theory; it's a set of real, learnable skills that help children understand what's happening inside them when life gets hard.In this episode:Dr. Kirk Austin joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the ideas at the heart of his book, Buoyancy: Building Resilient Kids. With deep experience in complex trauma, Dr. Austin explains why emotional literacy — the ability to understand and name what we're feeling — is one of the most powerful tools we can give young people.At the centre of the conversation is the BREATHE acronym: seven key elements that Dr. Austin calls the building blocks of human buoyancy. Far from a simple checklist, these elements form a framework for helping children navigate stress, build coping strategies, and develop the kind of inner resilience that serves them for life.Dr. Austin also speaks to the role adults play in that process — how parents and caregivers model resilience in their own lives, and why the connection between a child and a trusted adult is itself one of the most powerful protective factors available to any young person.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Dr. Kirk Austin: amazon.ca — Buoyancy: Building Resilient KidsYou'll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.caEpisode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#DrKirkAustin #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #buoyancy #resilientkids #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Author Aaron Cully Drake has a provocative and practical take on AI in the writing process — not as a ghostwriter, but as a structural editor that never lets a contradiction slide. And Roy Forbes, Member of the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame  and CKUA Radio host, has been writing songs since Grade school and performing across Canada for more than five decades. This Episode Features: (07:23) Aaron Cully Drake is a BB-based author, former newspaper reporter and editor whose debut novel was longlisted for the Leacock Medal for Humour Writing. His new novel, When the World Was Twice as Big, is now available. Aaron joins the podcast to talk about using AI as a writing partner - not to write the story, but to critique structure, catch contradictions, and push you past the blocks that keep you stuck. "AI is not going to replace writers," he says. "But I think eventually AI will replace writers who don't use AI." (30:30) Roy Forbes picked up a guitar at 14, and never looked back. Known in his early years as Bim, he spent more than five decades writing, recording, and performing across Canada, earning a place in the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame and a UBC honorary doctorate. He has been the host of Roy's Record Room on CKUA Radio for more than 20 years. Roy talks about opening for Santana as a young artist, writing songs after losing his sight, and the old $7 Stella guitar he used to make his album Edge of Blue — an album he describes as feeling like his first, even though it was his 14th. He'll be at Char's Landing in Port Alberni in May. This interview contains the song: More Than a Little Bit Blue.Episode Quotes: "AI is not going to replace writers. But I think eventually AI will replace writers who don't use AI." - Aaron Cully Drake "I hope people can come in, maybe laugh and cry, laugh some more, maybe cry a little — forget their lives for a couple of hours, and become part of what's happening." - Roy ForbesLISTEN: We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page. Text us about this episode Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca Click here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville, Fireside Books & SOS for Our Families (SOSD69)Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode If you’ve experienced loss in motherhood — or love someone who has — this episode is for you. Alicia Nicholsen speaks with the kind of honesty that only comes from having lived through the unimaginable. Her story of losing a child to miscarriage and a second child at 23 weeks is one of profound grief. But it’s also one of extraordinary purpose — and the quiet, determined resilience that grows when you decide to turn your pain into something that helps others. In this episode: Alicia Nicholsen joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the deeply personal story behind The Resilient Mommy Blog — and how writing became a conduit for healing and a bridge for resilience as a mother. Having experienced the loss of a child to miscarriage and a second child at 23 weeks, Alicia knows grief in a way few can fully understand. In this conversation, she opens up about how those losses shaped her, and how the act of writing — of putting words to experiences that often go unspoken — helped her begin to heal. What started as a personal space became something far larger: a community and a resource for women navigating some of motherhood’s most devastating moments. Alicia is the author of The Resilient Mommy Blog, a space dedicated to the resilience of being a mommy. Since welcoming her daughter in 2020, she describes herself as being on an entirely new journey — one where grief and joy exist side by side, and where she continues to invite other mothers along the way.The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca Learn more about Alicia Nicholsen: theresilientmommy.comYou’ll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.caEpisode Sponsor: Tablet PharmacyCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests! https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup“Like, Share & Listen!”#AliciaNicholsen #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #miscarriage #mommylife #writing #healingjourney #mommyblogger #theresilientlife #grief #motherhoodloss #resilientmommy #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Richard Brodeur backstopped the Vancouver Canucks to their first Stanley Cup final in 1982 — and spent the next four decades quietly building a second remarkable career as a painter. Now he’s soon opening Gallery 35 in Parksville, bringing eight professional artists with him. Brad Merritt, co-founder and bassist of 54–40, joins us ahead of the band’s only Vancouver Island date this summer — the inaugural Rock the Range festival in Qualicum Beach. Two stories about longevity, passion, and what happens when you refuse to stop.This Episode Features:(06:35) Richard Brodeur spent 17 years between the pipes in the WHA and NHL, backstopping the Vancouver Canucks to their very first Stanley Cup final in the spring of 1982. What most people didn’t know was that he’d been painting the whole time — sketchpad on road trips, canvases set up at home until three or four in the morning after games, all of it kept secret from teammates in what he describes as a very macho era. The connection between goaltending and painting, he explains, is the same: preparation. Knowing where you’re going before the puck drops, or before the brush touches canvas. He speaks candidly about sustaining 13 concussions during his playing career, the depression that followed for 30 years, and how art — quite literally — saved his life. He’s also opening Gallery 35 in Parksville in partnership with his son, featuring eight professional artists and art classes. https://brodeurartist.com/(25:16) Brad Merritt is the co-founder and bassist of 54–40, one of Canada’s most enduring rock bands. Their new album Porto, was recorded live off the floor at an all-analog studio in Portugal. Brad recalls the story of how Hootie & the Blowfish discovered “I Go Blind” at a Washington DC club in 1989 and eventually it became the third most-played song in the US that year. He confirms he’ll be bringing his golf clubs to Rock the Range, the inaugural festival at Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course, September 12th. Contains the tune "Running for the Fence". https://www.rocktherangeqb.com Episode Quotes: “If it wasn’t for my art, I wouldn’t be here today. That was my refuge — my place where I was happy, where I could find myself again.” - Richard Brodeur“When the Rolling Stones quit, that’s our 20-year warning. We are still doing it. We still like it. We do it as well or better than we ever have.” - Brad MerrittVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Tablet Pharmacy, Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville & SOSD69 Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeWhat does it take to rebuild — not just buildings, but lives — after catastrophic disaster? Dr. Doug Walker knows firsthand. In this deeply moving conversation, he shares how surviving Hurricane Katrina in 2005 shaped his understanding of resilience and launched a career devoted to helping communities and children heal. If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to cultivate resilience — not as a fixed trait, but as a daily practice — this episode will stay with you.In this episode:Dr. Doug Walker, Registered Psychologist and Chief Programs Director of Mercy Family Center in St. Louis, opens up about the experience of surviving Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — and how that catastrophic event became the catalyst for one of the most significant mental health initiatives in New Orleans’ history. Dr. Walker is the founder of Project Fleur-de-lis, New Orleans’ largest school-based mental health program, developed specifically for students struggling emotionally and academically in the aftermath of the storm.Central to Dr. Walker’s work is a simple but powerful question: “How’s Your 5?” Drawing from research into five key domains of human wellbeing, this question invites people to honestly assess where they are — and to recognise that resilience isn’t something you either have or you don’t. It’s something we build, together, every day.In this episode of A Resilience Project, host Cindy Thompson and Dr. Walker explore what resilience looks like at both the individual and community level, how trauma can become a catalyst for meaningful change, and why connection — to others, to purpose, to community — is at the heart of human recovery.You’ll find The PULSE Community Podcasts at ThePulseCommunity.caCindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Dr. Doug Walker: facebook.com/HowsYour5Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy - tabletpharmacy.caYou’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests: bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup“Like, Share & Listen!” #DrDougWalker #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #HowsYour5 #CultivatingResilience #MentalHealth #HurricaneKatrina Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"This Episode Features:(30:35) Greg Adams, founder of Lake Town Ranch and Sun Fest joins the podcast The undrafted NHL defenceman who played 545 games across a decade-long pro career talks about growing up in the Cowichan Valley, playing alongside Mark Messier in Edmonton the year after Gretzky was traded, and the Tampa festival in 1999 that made him turn to his wife Judy and say: Why don't we have this at home? That question became Sun Fest - hosting world-class country and rock acts. Greg reveals the next big phase for Lake Town Ranch: an RV park, park model homes, water slides, a splash park, a bistro, and a gym, with the full build targeting fall 2027. He also reflects on the Crofton mill closure and the Lake Town Benevolent Society's milestone of over a million dollars donated to community causes. https://sunfestconcerts.com/(08:03) Dr. Anne Herdman Royal, pathologist at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, is one of more than 400 American healthcare professionals who have relocated to British Columbia in the past year. On June 1st, 2022, she watched a mass shooting unfold at her Tulsa, Oklahoma hospital, killing four people. She went home that evening, told her husband they had to leave, and applied for a job on Vancouver Island the next day. Anne explains what a pathologist actually does, walks through the two-and-a-half-year immigration process, and describes the ferry crossing to Nanaimo where she and her daughter were practically jumping up and down with excitement. She offers a candid comparison of the Canadian and American healthcare systems — including why access to care in the US is far less universal than most Canadians assume — and talks about the American doctors and nurses now asking her how to make the same move. Nanaimo will be welcoming visitors the weekend of April 24th, 2006 at Tod’s Nanaimo Infusion.Episode Quotes:“I remember asking a security guard who was on stage doing the sound check. He said, 'I don't know, some guy called Prince — but boy is he ever good.'” - Greg Adams“It is the best thing we've ever done as a family. Vancouver Island is incredible — it's got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.” - Dr. Anne Herdman RoyalVoice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Fireside Books & Society of Organized Services (SOS)Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood go full civics class -the fun kind - on what it actually means to be a thoughtful voter. From the difference between local, provincial, and federal elections to party slates, candidate vetting, and whether politicians actually lie, Joel and Sean break down the mechanics of democratic participation with the candour of two people who've sat on both sides of the ballot.Prompted in part by the current BC NDP leadership race, and with a municipal election on the horizon, this is the episode they wish existed before they ran for office themselves.Listen for: Why 99% of local government across Canada is nonpartisan — and why that mattersThe real role of party vetting, and what happens when it goes sidewaysWhy voting for promises might actually incentivize politicians to lieWhat to look for instead: character, resume, trust, and your gutWhy voter apathy costs everyone — and why an imperfect vote still beats no voteSean's challenge to every armchair critic with opinions but no nomination papersVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to Our Sponsor - Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts, as well at SkookumKids.com.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!Click here to learn how to Support the show"Like, Share & Listen!"#PulseCommunityPodcast,#publicengagement #ThePulseCommunity #SeanWood #JoelGrenz #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #NonPartisanHacks #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode If you’ve ever thought about what it truly means to be an ally — not just in words, but in the daily, lived work of parenting — this episode will stay with you. Karen Peters and her husband Chris chose to grow their family through adoption, and what followed was an eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and ultimately beautiful journey of learning. From actively dismantling their own white privilege to celebrating and instilling Black culture and identity in their daughters, Karen speaks with honesty and courage about what it means to love without limits — and to keep learning.In this episode: Karen Peters, Registered Clinical Counsellor, opens up about the decision she and her husband Chris made to grow their family through adoption — and what that choice revealed about themselves. Karen shines a light on the profound and sometimes painful experience of parenting interracially, including the work they have done to actively dismantle their white privilege while celebrating and instilling Black culture and identity in their daughters. She also shares the unexpected gifts that came through maintaining an open adoption and nurturing an ongoing relationship with the birth families of both girls. You’ll find The PULSE Community Podcasts at ThePulseCommunity.ca Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca Learn more about Karen Peters: my.thrive-life.ca/parenting-in-the-trenches Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy — tabletpharmacy.caYou’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests: bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup“Like, Share & Listen!”#KarenPeters #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #InterracialAdoption #Adoption #OpenAdoption #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNewsSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: If you’ve ever wondered what it actually takes to make a small town’s business community thrive — not just survive — Daniella Novak has the answer, and she delivers it with the conviction of someone who grew up here, built a career here, and isn’t done yet. Then Laura Kelsey walks in and reminds you that creativity has no ceiling — a singer, songwriter, filmmaker, and poet who can tell you why fish sing and why a train crossing Canada might be the best writing retreat she’ll ever take. Two guests, two very different stories, that cover what makes mid-Vancouver Island worth talking about.This Episode Features:(23:11) Laura Kelsey is a Nanaimo-based vocalist, songwriter, filmmaker, and poet with a powerhouse voice shaped by years of performing across genres — from symphonic metal to folk, blues, and death metal that left her with vocal nodules she healed through exercise rather than surgery. Her debut full-length album Hidden Mountains, recorded at Canary Sound in Lantzville, is a journey into modern mythology. The album release event is April 18th at the Globe in Nanaimo. This interview contains the song: Crescent.(07:04) Daniella Novak is the CAO of the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, a Qualicum Beach native who spent nearly 30 years in financial services before bringing that leadership experience home. She joins The PULSE to talk about what it means to be the voice of business in Qualicum Beach, why the benefit plan alone is worth the membership.Episode Quotes: “We want you to be successful doing business here. Whatever we can do to alleviate hurdles, perceived or otherwise — that’s the future of the Chamber of Commerce.” — Daniella Novak  “Each experience can be a setback, but at the same time it leads to better things.” — Laura Kelsey Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of the The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Episode Sponsors: SOSD69, Tablet Pharmacy, Ian Lindsay & Associates & Thrifty Foods Parksville.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories, on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts, as well at SkookumKids.com.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!“Like, Share & Listen!”(Crescents - Laura Kelsey) SOCAN 5068600 #PulseCommunityPodcast #QualicumBeachChamber #DaniellaNovak #LauraKelsey #VancouverIslandMusic #QualicumBeach #VancouverIslandBusiness #BCMusic Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you've ever wondered how the lessons passed down in childhood can shape an entire career — and a life of purpose — this episode is for you. Marj Busse grew up in a military family and carries a simple yet powerful piece of wisdom from her father that has stayed with her to this day. Her journey into leadership coaching is as much about self-discovery as it is about helping others grow. Whatever you put your attention on, it expands — and this conversation is a reminder of exactly that.In this episode:Growing up in a military family gave Marj Busse something most people search a lifetime for — a foundational piece of wisdom from her father that she has carried with her ever since. In this conversation, Marj shares what inspired her to pursue leadership coaching, the surprising insights she discovered about herself along the way, and how working with a coach can meaningfully grow your resilience.Marj Busse is a Master Certified Coach whose work through Essential Impact helps leaders unlock deeper self-awareness and create lasting change — in themselves and in the people around them.You'll find The PULSE Community Podcasts at https://thepulsecommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: https://cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Marj Busse: https://www.essentialimpact.comEpisode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy — https://tabletpharmacy.ca/You'll find all episodes of the The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories, on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts, as well at SkookumKids.com.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests: https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#MarjBusse #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompsonSupport the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: If you've ever watched someone struggle to reach the beach, navigate a cracked sidewalk, or find a parking spot that simply doesn't exist — this episode will change how you see your own community. Ralph and Maggie Tietjen of Access Oceanside Association bring hard numbers, personal heartbreak, and genuine hope to the conversation about what it would take to make Parksville the most accessible community in Canada. And when Vancouver journalist and author Steve Burgess explains why reusing dental floss is a philosophical statement — not just a habit — you'll find yourself rethinking what you actually need to live a life you love. This Episode Features:(27:30) Steve Burgess is a Vancouver writer, broadcaster, former CBC host, contributing editor of The Tyee, and two-time Canadian National Magazine Award winner. After more than three decades of living well in one of Canada's most expensive cities — not by earning more, but by thinking differently — Steve has channelled that philosophy into his new book, Cheapskate in LotusLand: a personal guide to the philosophy and practice of living well on less. From Freeganism to frugality as freedom, Steve challenges readers to rethink their priorities and design the life they actually want — no budget required.(06:45) Ralph and Maggie Tietjen are with Access Oceanside Association, a nonprofit working to raise awareness and break down barriers for residents and visitors in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region. After losing her leg, Maggie found herself excluded from the very beach she loved. Together, she and Ralph have been surveying local businesses, hotels, and public spaces, advocating for accessible parking, sidewalk improvements, beach access, and more. Their goal: to make Parksville a national model for inclusion.Episode Quotes:"One in five households have an accessible parking tag. It's like a badge of honour in this area. So if you look at any parking lot and you think of one in five — persons with disabilities in some shape or form — the amount of parking spaces around, it's tough to get a spot." — Ralph Tietjen, Access Oceanside Association"Frugality is a necessary skill of creative people. My life is not going to be about increasing my income. It's going to be about how can I get by doing what it is that I want to do." — Steve Burgess, Author, Cheapskate in LotusLandVoice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caClick here to learn how to Support the showEpisode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates, Thrifty Foods Parksville & Fireside BooksCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with George Anderson, MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville, former Nanaimo city councillor, commercial lawyer, and Parliamentary Secretary for Transit. Anderson shares what it was like being the youngest person at the council table by four decades, how he went from door-knocking to Treasury Board, and what he believes is the most expensive material in home construction today.The conversation spans Anderson’s private member’s bill on building approvals, the mechanics of how private members’ bills actually work, the future of Vancouver Island rail, and why government is like a supertanker — it takes time and patience to change direction. Episode Highlights:What it’s like being a 20-year-old councillor when the next youngest colleague is 60How a transportation master plan built over a decade ago still guides Nanaimo todayThe step-by-step process of how a private member’s bill becomes law in BCWhy professional reliance in building approvals could speed up housing constructionWhat the Parliamentary Secretary for Transit actually doesHow BC’s ports connect Saskatchewan grain to Sapporo beerText us about this episode: Send us a textVisit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/Voice message: Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast!You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube podcasts, as well as PULSECommunity.ca.Special Thanks to Our Sponsor - Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube Podcasts, as well at SkookumKids.com.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!Click here to learn how to Support the show"Like, Share & Listen!"#PulseCommunityPodcast #publicengagement #ThePulseCommunity #SeanWood, #JoelGrenz #ParksvilleQualicumBeach #NonPartisanHacks #GeorgeAnderson Support the show

"Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This EpisodeIf you've ever had life take a turn you didn't choose, this episode is for you. Dr. Erica Harris received a two-month terminal diagnosis in 2012 and somehow turned that devastating detour into the most purposeful chapter of her life. Her story isn't about toxic positivity — it's about the raw, honest work of surviving, finding meaning, and ultimately thriving. The message from her son that kept her going during her darkest moments alone is worth the listen.In this episode:Faced with a two-month terminal diagnosis in 2012, Dr. Erica Harris didn't simply survive — she emerged transformed. In this conversation, she opens up about how her life changed in the years that followed, and the inspirational message from her son that kept her going during the darkest of moments.Today, Dr. Harris is the Founder of RiseToday.com where she serves as a TedX International Speaker, a Motivational Life Coach, a #1 Best Selling Author, and the Host of the Rise Today Inspirational Podcast. Her mission is to open up the conversation about hardship, equip others with the tools to stay the course, and help people thrive like never before.You'll find The PULSE Community Podcasts at: https://thepulsecommunity.caCindy Thompson's website: https://cindythompsoncounselling.caLearn more about Dr. Erica Harris: https://www.risetoday.comEpisode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy — https://tabletpharmacy.ca/You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.caCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests: https://bit.ly/PulseNewsletterSignup"Like, Share & Listen!"#DrEricaHarris #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompsonSupport the show