The Stories That Brought You Here

Episode 36 - Paul Widdershoven

In this episode, Paul will describe the events of a medical emergency he had shortly after moving to the island. Through that experience, he came to new realizations about himself and soon changed how he was participating in life. He will talk about living with his wife, Charlene on their boat in Browning Harbour, the very recent death of his father and the bold decision to move from New Brunswick to the West Coast. As well, Paul will explain the importance of wearing yellow glasses. All this and so much more, in a very thought provoking and incredibly reveling interview with a unique and wonderful person. Enjoy.

 

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 35 - Sandy Shreve

In this episode, Sandy will share stories about growing up in Sackville, New Brunswick, speak about her fifteen year career with Legal aid BC, as well she will describe how she created a book of poetry using the words her father wrote in a dairy he kept for five months while working as a merchant seaman in 1936. Sandy will also detail how she was responsible for starting the Poetry In Motion project, a program that made Vancouver the first Canadian city to have an ongoing poetry program on public transit. All that and so much more in a stupendous little interview. Enjoy.

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Southern Gulf Islands Heritage Recordings Vol. 2 featuring Connie Auchterlonie

Welcome to this very special project dedicated to the voices and stories of long time Southern Gulf Island residents, the second in this series continues with Connie Auchterlonie.

While visiting Pender Island in spring of 1958 for the first time, she met her future husband, Dave Auchterlonie. After getting married and spending their first few years living in Vancouver, they decided to move to Pender in order to raise their three children. Connie will detail what it was like being a young mother on Pender in the sixties, working as a nurse on the island, attending various community dances, as well as the support of friends and community she has experienced through the years. This and so much more in this descriptive and historical account of what living on Pender Island was like in the 1960's until the present day.

             This project is made possible by the support of Ptarmigan Arts.

Southern Gulf Islands Heritage Recordings Vol. 1 featuring Harry Brackett

Welcome to this very special project dedicated to the voices and stories of long time Southern Gulf Island residents, the first in this series begins with Harry Brackett.

Raised on Pender Island from his year of birth in 1929, Harry spent his first twenty-five years of life on Pender Island. He will describe his experiences attending school on the island as a boy, fishing salmon with his father, as well as the various jobs he had on Pender as a young man, including logging on various Gulf Islands. This and so much more in this descriptive and historical account of what living on Pender Island was like in the 1930's, 40's and 50's

           This project is made possible by the support of Ptarmigan Arts.

Episode 34 - Steeve Larouche

In this episode, Steeve will discuss how he and his wife, Dawnda were among the small group of people, who almost twenty years ago, created the much loved New Year's Eve Lantern Festival. He will describe growing up as part of a military family and living in Germany as teenager while his father was stationed there. He will also talk about his various artistic pursuits, how he first became involved with the Solstice theater and what his first ever acting gig was...you'll never guess. All that and more in this wonderful interview. Enjoy.

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 33 - Amanda Landa

In this episode, Amanda will detail her experiences as the former chef and co-owner of the beloved but now closed, Hope Bay Cafe. She will describe how she developed a passion for cooking, sailing and riding motorcycles. Amanda will also discuss being the proud new co-owner of Southridge Country Store, along with her husband, Rob. She will also let us know the story of how they first met.

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 32 - Ewa Jarosinska

In this episode, Ewa will discuss her new-found love of photography and her philosophy behind trying to capture people as they truly are. She will speak about her life in Poland before moving to Canada and the working in the construction industry there. As well, Ewa will describe the bike trip she and her husband-to-be took nearly fifty years ago along the mountainous coast of Bulgaria and also talk about her twenty-five years of baking and selling cakes at the Saturday market.

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 31 - John Miles

In this episode, John will discuss how he wound up becoming the owner of Southridge Country Store and share details about the ups and downs of being a retail business owner on the island for over twenty years. As well, John will talk about his love of Paris, the unfortunate history of heart disease in his family and what made him decide to remain on Pender after he recently retired from the country store business.

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 30 - Leslie McBain

In this episode, Leslie speaks about being a young hippie growing up in Edmonton and eventually moving to California where she resided for close to three decades. She discusses the hosting duties she has been performing at the monthly Speakeasy for the past ten years, as well, she will also speak about the loss of her son Jordan, who sadly passed away just over five years ago and her subsequent involvement in co-creating Moms Stop The Harm, a nation-wide group aiming towards drug policy change for the purpose of harm reduction. 

 

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast. 

Episode 29 - Karl Hamson

In this episode, Karl discusses how he ventured from Canada to New Zealand at the age of twenty and while living there he would begin a journey that would eventually lead him to creating his own business designing and manufacturing automatic case packer machines from his home on Pender Island and shipping them all around the world. Karl also details his passion for restoring and driving Hudson automobiles, his involvement in the Medicine Beach conservancy and he speaks at length about the details involved in building our Community Hall, the design of which was based on the barn on his property, which previous to the hall being built held local community events.

 

               Thank you to Ptarmigan Arts for supporting this podcast.