Bridging the Social Distance

For this episode I interview Judy Maddren - Judy is a University of Guelph and CFRU alumni who went on to work in professional radio with the CBC. In more recent years she's run a project called “Soundportraits” where she records interviews to help people tell their life stories. The parallels between the type of work Judy and I have done made this a highly intriguing interview for me, and I'm very glad Alumni Affairs connected us! Thank you Judy for taking the time and traveling to me at the station for this interview.More about Judy:“For many years, Judy started the day with millions of Canadians across Canada, sharing the latest news of the world and our country as host of CBC Radio's World Report. Her day began at 4:15 at her computer and continued with seven live broadcasts. She says “I loved making pictures with words, using the right verb to conjure up an image and to tell the story. The older I get, the more I believe that stories are the basis of all our learning.”She was also the CBC's Broadcast Advisor, providing language and pronunciation recommendations to CBC broadcasters and writers on radio, television and CBC dot caIn 1990, Judy produced the first public reading of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol with CBC readers, and then expanded the readings across Canada. They are still held in several communities across the country each year, raising money to benefit local charities of all kinds. The Governor-General awarded Judy the Meritorious Service Medal in November, 2016 for her efforts with the Christmas Carol readings.And last year she was invited to be a Volunteer Presiding Officer at Canadian Citizenship Ceremonies – a real honour.Her broadcasting experience has meant that she is often invited to speak or host public events, which she really enjoys.Judy's broadcasting career and producing the Christmas Carol readings have convinced her of the power of stories: it is reflection on our personal narratives that influence how we move forward through life. Since 2001 she and her partner Alannah Campbell have savoured their work in Soundportraits, helping people young and old to record their audio memoirs. The library of biographies that has been preserved, confirms her belief that every life is remarkable.She and her husband Tim Elliott are the parents of four, with four grandchildren. They moved to Stratford from Toronto ten years ago, and they are delighted with the community and life there.”This interview was originally recorded on May 26th, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this interview I speak with Glenna Ratcliff, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Glenna speaks about her transition into her new home in a retirement facility. We talk about her childhood, her baby years in Cape Breton with a father gone to war, and the subsequent years of a strong and independent working mother. Glenna speaks fondly of her children, one of whom is a local artist, and while Glenna doesn't necessarily self-identity as an artist herself, her appreciation for art and colour was very clear and beautiful to be surrounded by as a visitor. Thank you Glenna for welcoming me and sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on May 8th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Vera Speers, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Vera loves her giant family, and expresses how happy she is that they are all leading fulfilling lives, but is honest about how much she misses them too. Our chat looks back at a childhood in Saskatchewan, a young adulthood raising four children, and a career working for Guelph Hydro. All throughout Vera straddles the line of balancing reminiscing, nostalgia, with the reality that her memories can make her a bit sad and lonely too. I really appreciate Vera opening up, and letting herself be vulnerable with me.This interview was originally recorded on May 1st, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I chat with Shirley Petersen, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. We talk about different parts of her life, and her hobbies, her knitting and crocheting and her career as a teacher, her traveling for a Mission in Taiwan in retirement, and her childhood spent with her grandparents on Lake Erie. It was a lovely chat and I appreciate her sharing with me today!This interview was originally recorded on April 24th, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Egil Rasmussen, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Egil shares memories from his home country of Denmark, his childhood during the war, his year enlisted in the military, and his career as a brick layer in Denmark, then Canada, before moving onto other careers. We bond over our respective travels across Canada and shared love on the east coast in particular. Thank you Egil for sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on April 10th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Valeria Krotky, a new resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Valeria is 94, and taught piano for over fifty of those years. She even teaches me a bit of piano during our interview! It is a true lifelong passion for her, and I had the pleasure of getting to hear her play, and record it, so you'll get to enjoy that on today's episode too. She shares about the piano and her passion for music, which she likely inherited from her father, who led an Orchestra. She talks about family, her husband Emil, and her sons, and shares some memorable (and even harrowing) stories from her early life in her home country of Slovakia. Thank you so much Valeria for letting me interview you, and for playing the piano for me!This interview was originally recorded on March 27, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Jean Root, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Jean takes us on a journey through her life, her career in nursing, her life on her family's farm where she raised two children and her husband did body work on cars. She shares of her myriad of health issues, and her subsequent arrival to the Village of Riverside Glen where she trying to adjust to a new stage of life. Jean is lovely, and it was nice to meet her, and her cat! Thank you Jean for sharing!This interview was originally recorded on March 6th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Jane Mulcahey, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. We talk about Jane's career as a teacher, and how teaching held a place in her life beyond the years of it being a profession. She shares about her musical and artistic husband and children, and her own visual art, and singing (she is part of the Riverside Glen choir). We also navigate Jane's memory, and the way it's changing, with some things being difficult to place that once came with more ease. I appreciate Jane's generosity in sharing and being vulnerable with me!This interview was originally recorded on Feb 27th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Mike Berry, a resident in Long-Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen, who shares about his career as a teacher of Geography and communications technology, his lifelong route to becoming a teacher, and how tech and it's role changed over time. He also shares in detail about his beloved hobby of coin collecting - I learned a lot, about something I knew almost nothing about! Mike also shares a bit about his challenging health journey, and how it has brought him for now to Long-Term Care. Thank you Mike for sharing!This interview was originally recorded February 20th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

This hour is a special hour of content celebrating languages! Hosted (in English) and collected/edited by Jenny, close to 40 different people contributed over thirty languages to fill our airwaves in celebration of "International Mother Language Day" which is observed every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. We've included a list of languages featured, below - if your language is missing reach out to us! We'd love to do this again in the future and include even more! Contributions included one-word greetings, radio shout outs, stories, poems, and personal thoughts and reflections, interspersed with music. For languages, in our spoken sections, you will hear Tagalog, Gaelic, Slovak, Italian, Hungarian, Lik'wala, Czech, Serbian, Dutch, Korean, Arabic, Mandarin, Yoruba, Telugu, Turkish, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Flemish, Vietnamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi, Polish, Farsi/Persian, Khmer, Russian, French, German, Hebrew, and Danish.The playlist of music on today's episode is as follows:"Sluníčko-Hřej(TheSunSong)" by Louisa Krátká (unreleased)"Assuf Ag Assuf" by Tinariwen off the album Idrache (Traces of the Past)"Woyhenna" by Songhoy Blues off the album Heritage"DE ZEE EN MIJN ZUSJE" by Hurryman (Robert Hurryman), off an upcoming album due out in April 2025"Déjà" by N NAO off the album Nouveau Language"lyenogie" by Sonia Aimy off the album LIGHT IMOLEand"Tambor Chamou" by João Selva off the album OndaFor more information about "International Mother Language Day" you can visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/mother-language-day This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Kehinde and Fumi, and PJ and Coretta at The Village of Riverside Glen. Kehinde is a nurse, Fumi is a PSW/Med Cert, PJ is a Recreation Team member, and Coretta is a PSW. They share with me their respective journeys from their home countries of Nigeria and Kenya, acclimating to the dramatically different weather while settling in with their families, as well as navigating the challenge of getting jobs and education here, as many of their incredible skills and accreditations from their home countries aren't recognized here in Canada. They also share some of their goals for the future, and their favourite parts of working at Riverside Glen. Thank you to Kehinde, Fumi, PJ and Coretta for sharing your stories!This interview was originally recorded on February 18th, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Pat Woodford, a relatively new resident at The Village of Riverside Glen, who was given the best possible room the cater to her love of bird watching. Pat has had nearly a full life of bird watching , starting her passion when she met her future husband as a teenager. Pat fits so much life into today's conversation - she shares an incredibly interesting snippet of history during WWII, living in Dunville near an Airforce Training Facility, where her father would visit on Sundays to invite young soldiers in training, from all over the world, to come to their house for Sunday dinner. She shares of her life growing up immersed in education, her mother even having received a university degree as far back as the 1920s, and Patricia herself studying science in university, and going on to be a high school science teacher (another rare occurrence for her generation). She raised two daughters who pursued high levels of education, which has rippled down to two more generations. With her husband, she literally traveled the world, from the Antarctic, to Africa to Kathmandu and more, to see the world's animals (in particular the birds). It was a whirlwind of a conversation, I feel like I learned so much! Thank you to Pat for taking me on this journey!This interview was originally recorded on Feb 6th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I'm joined by my son Otis, and our guest is Sharryn Smith, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Sharryn is a visual artist, who works primarily in acrylic paint. After suffering a stroke, Sharryn lost the ability to use the right side of her body, as well as some of her memory, and her ability to speak, and had to transition to living in a retirement care facility. She shares today about that transition, of her path to relearning how to speak, how to walk, and how to paint - now having to use her left/non-dominant hand, and painting with her finger instead of a paint brush. Her journey of recovery is very inspiring, and she delivers an important message: you have to keep moving, keep doing things, and you have to do it yourself, regardless of any help you may also receive. There's no resting for Sharryn! Thank you Sharryn for sharing with us today!This interview was originally recorded on Jan 30th 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Aidan Purnell, a regular musical performer at The Village of Riverside Glen. On Jan 23rd I was at Riverside Glen, and my scheduled interview fell through. Aidan was performing for a huge crowd of residents, and I've come across Aidan a number of times on my visits to Riverside Glen. I stuck around to see if he'd be up for chatting with me, and the result was the fantastic conversation you'll hear today! We talk about his experience performing at Retirement Homes and Long Term Care Facilities, but we also get a window into his origin story, first picking up the guitar at age 7, his studies in musical theatre and gerontology, and from his twenties on having a full time career in live music. From his well-researched and carefully selected gear, to his rapport with all the individual residents (remembering each of their favourite songs and adding them to his set list) it's clear Aidan is much more than just an entertainer! This was a really insightful conversation, and we hope you enjoy it! You can learn more about Aidan (and get in touch with him) on his website, http://purnellmusic.com/ and you can hear some of his music on youtube @purnellmusic and on various music streaming platforms by searching Aidan Purnell. Thank you Aidan for being up for this spontaneous interview!This interview was originally recorded on Jan 23rd, 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Debra Cooper, a resident in Long Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Debra has spent a life on the move, born in Canada but spending her young life everywhere from Mexico to Spain to Long Island New York, before finally settling for a longer period of time in Quebec. She's a tough lady, navigating these moves, and surviving a serious car accident and a subsequent period of working as an accountant while raising her three children as a single mom. She's working on settling into her new life at Riverside Glen, and we're glad she was willing to connect with us!This interview was originally recorded on Jan 16 2025 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

This episode features a collection of interviews and radio shoutouts from GCVI students who attended a Tech and Trades Fair and GCVI on November 6th, 2024. CFRU tabled at the event, promoted our own opportunities, and handed students the mic, to capture a snapshot of young high school life. We hope you enjoy it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

This is a radio special celebrating the recent grand re-opening of the "Conestoga College Living Classroom" at The Village of Riverside Glen . Recorded on December 5th 2024 at Riverside Glen, today's broadcast starts with the speeches recorded at the event, followed by some short interviews with staff and coordinators who help bring the living classroom to life.About the Living Classroom:The Living Classroom is a partnership model that integrates education into a long-term care or retirement home to support workforce development in senior living. Students, faculty, and those living, visiting and working in the home engage in a culture of shared learning. The model was first implemented in Ontario in 2009, through a partnership with Conestoga College, the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging and Schlegel Villages.That first site was The Village of Riverside Glen, and today's recorded celebration marks its' grand re-opening ceremony. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

This episode features recorded speeches and interviews with folks who attended the recent event "Breaking Barriers: Celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities", which took place at the downtown branch of the Guelph Public Library on Dec 3rd 2024. We hear from many incredible disability advocates, including folks from Community Living Guelph Wellington's "People4People" Advocacy group, and from Community of Hearts, and listeners may recognize the voice of Judy Noonan, who contributed to our radio broadcast of the "Feeding Tummies and Souls" event, and who hosted interviews at the Grand Opening and Anniversary parties at Guelph's "Accessible Little Library" (Thank you Judy for all your contributions to CFRU!) Thank you to everyone who attended and shared stories ad perspectives. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest was Gerald "Jerry" Guidolin, a very new resident at The Village of Riverside Glen, having only moved in earlier this month. This episode is not to be missed! By the nature of the magic of all the stories from everyone I interview I don't think I could possibly have a "favourite" radio guest, but I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time a one-hour conversation has contained so many entertaining and wildly unexpected pieces of history. Jerry was born and raised in the Ward, and now at 86, with a clear and vivid memory, Jerry shares Ward stories that go beyond anything I'd ever heard (which is really saying something because I've heard a lot of Ward stories). From watching a mafia funeral, to walking the family cow through the Ward, to stories of bootlegged un-pasturized milk and basement butcher shops. It's not all ward stories - Jerry was an electrician and helped build many buildings in Guelph, including the Athletic Centre on campus, as well as Guelph's General Hospital. He also worked in factories, a nuclear power plant, and a mine. I can't believe how many stories he fit into our visit (I tried not to spoil all of them, there are definitely more surprises if you listen). It sure was a fun one! Thank you Jerry for sharing with me! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!This interview was originally recorded on Nov 21st, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interviewed local music booker and advocate Samir Baijal, in honour of his receiving of the "Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award", recognizing Sam's ongoing commitment to supporting live music. I interviewed Sam about this, and about his career in music booking. More about Samir, and this award:Samir [was recently] awarded the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award, as an advocate, supporter, and champion of the Ontario Folk music community throughout his career, and is in particular an advocate of a more diverse, more welcoming, and more inclusive Folk and independent music community. Sam is the Artistic Director of Hillside Festival (a role he has served in for 26 years) and the Coordinator of Programming at the University Centre at the University of Guelph. The recipients [were] presented with their awards by CBC q host Tom Power at the Ontario Folk Music Awards on Sunday, October 6th, 2024.Folk Music Ontario Executive Director, Rosalyn Dennett shares, “Samir has been a driving force in promoting cultural diversity, environmental sustainability, and musical excellence in the Ontario folk music community through his roles at Hillside Festival and the University of Guelph. He has been a steadfast mentor and advocate of artists and live music workers through his board service and event participation. Congratulations, Samir! Your vision for a greener, more vibrant, and inclusive Folk music community is beautifully honoured by the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award”.This interview was originally recorded live on Nov 22 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interviewed Michelle Peek of "Art Not Shame". Art Not Shame is a local Guelph Non-profit that uses the arts to build community, deepen our access to creativity, increase well-being, and create the conditions for inner and outer systems change. They have a beautiful new expanded location on Wyndham street and offer tons of incredible programs and services. Art Not Shame is one of the many organizations dramatically impacted by the City of Guelph's recent budget deferrals within the Community Investment stream - a funding source that deeply impacts our cultural and wellbeing sectors. On Nov 19th a City Council Meeting happened at City Hall (1 Carden Street) and Art Not Shame was among more than 30 delegates speaking out against deferrals and cuts. While this meeting has passed, you can continue to pressure your councillors by advocating for the importance of these organizations and institutions.More about Art Not Shame:"Art Not Shame is a community-engaged, multidisciplinary arts organization serving youth and adults in Guelph and across Ontario. Founded in 2017, we strive toward a world where belonging is unconditional and creative practice is accessible, and both are recognized as fundamental to well-being, community-building, and possibilities for a just future.Our work bears witness to the power of community-making through the arts, and art-making through community, to not only envision but to enact the more just futures to which we are striving. With a focus on speaking back to systemic forces that perpetuate cycles of shame and the undermining of self-worth (including racism, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, and other intersecting forms of oppression), we seek to shape community by intentionally building supportive and transformative social spaces. We are committed to: Equity-seeking spaces and practices; honouring complex histories and relationships to trauma, loss, privilege, and oppression; the necessity of creative, supportive communities to our individual and collective well-being; offering welcome, without the need for apology, fixing, or saving."Recently a letter from Art Not Shame and supporters was drafted and circulated to City Council and staff members, and I've included it below. "I am writing to urge you to reconsider recent budget deferrals within the Community Investment stream that deeply impact our cultural and wellbeing sectors. Organizations like Art Not Shame, which are woven into the fabric of Guelph's community life, rely on these funds to continue their valuable work in enhancing the well-being and cultural vitality of our city. By investing in programs that advance both wellbeing and culture, the City can make an immediate, positive impact on residents' quality of life, today and into the future.The City's Culture Plan 2030 was developed to foster cultural initiatives that would bring our community together, support diversity, and make Guelph a place of inspiration and connection. However, the budget deferral now pushes all related capital funding out to 2037, risking the Culture Plan's transformation into a vision without substance. Without investment, we risk losing valuable opportunities to support organizations like Art Not Shame, which embody the goals set out in the Culture Plan by providing accessible and inclusive arts and wellness programs.Art Not Shame stands at the intersection of wellbeing and culture. Their work offers mental health support through artistic expression, giving residents a space to connect, heal, and celebrate creativity together. This aligns closely with the City's vision of using culture as a catalyst for social connection and inclusion. Through workshops, community events, and creative programming, Art Not Shame has helped residents of all ages and abilities find community and empowerment through art. They offer meaningful, inclusive cultural activities that benefit Guelph's most vulnerable populations.Furthermore, initiatives like Art Not Shame are essential to the City's wellbeing goals. By fostering a sense of belonging, they directly impact community mental health and resilience. At a time when the non-profit sector is being asked to take on more—from hosting city events to addressing food and housing insecurity—long-term partnerships, such as those enabled by Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs), are crucial. With a robust CBA program, the City can form sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships with non-profits, allowing them to bring in additional funding, strengthen local initiatives, and create a more resilient community infrastructure. As an example, the Guelph Farmers' Market CBA has already proven successful, bringing in over a million dollars in capital funding that doubled the City's investment.Investing in organizations that support both wellbeing and culture is not an extra; it is foundational to creating a city where all residents thrive. Please help preserve Guelph's wellbeing and cultural vibrancy by reinstating critical funding and supporting the Community Benefit Agreement structure, so organizations like Art Not Shame can continue serving our city."Thank you for your consideration of this important matter."The details of the council meeting can be found here: https://pub-guelph.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...This interview originally occurred live on November 18th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Marc Peloso, a resident at the Village of Riverside Glen. Marc grew up in Guelph, and if his name sounds familiar, the answer is yes - he is related to the Pelosos! As a Guelph history lover I recognized the name right away. Marc shares about his family, his career working in advertising, and his twenty year journey with MS. I appreciated him taking time out of his day to share a bit.This interview was originally recorded on October 29th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

It's been a few weeks since I've uploaded a new episode, as we had an unexpected run of live episodes in the mix! So I am slowly editing them from the archives and uploading them, starting with this interview with Greg Rhyno! Greg is a local (Guelph) author/musician and old friend Greg Rhyno. Greg and I have known each other for almost 25 years! Spanning his early supply teaching years through to teaching creative writing at the university, and now author of two fiction novels. We connect for this interview in anticipation of the Guelph Book Bash that happened Sunday Nov 3rd from 1-4pm at the Guelph Farmer's Market, courtesy of Vocamus Press. Greg had only a small window of time during his break from teaching (I literally reached him at his school). To learn more about Greg (and his books) you can visit https://gregrhyno.com/For the second half of the episode I let Zander McConnell hop back in the studio to give us an update from his time with Project Search. These interviews were originally recorded on Nov 1st, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

I loved this conversation. For this episode my guest Alex is a grade 11 student at John F Ross, who I met on an outing with The Village of Riverside Glen. Alex has been volunteering there for two years, and Alex's great grandmother was a previous guest on my radio show, which was a cool coincidence I didn't know at the time we met. I thought it would be interesting to interview Alex to hear the perspective of a young person who frequents spends time with the residents at Riverside Glen, to see where we share parallel perspectives, and where things are very different. But the conversation turned out far more fascinating, with Alex having an unusual past, starting with a diagnosis of severe anxiety at age 4, and not attending school for the first time until grade 3, but now excelling in high school. Alex is super interesting and I enjoyed our conversation so much, feeling a lot of kinship while also having a window in a very different experience. I'm enjoying getting to have candid and honest conversations about anxiety. Thank you Alex for being up for this conversation, I hope listeners enjoy it as much as I did!This interview was originally recorded on Oct 17th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Zander McConnell, our current intern from “Project Search”. Zander has been coming to CFRU every day to work with us, in the hopes of learning transferable job skills, working on recording and editing, public speaking, file management, project management and getting immersed in some cool music and tech in the process. I thought it would be neat to interview him to learn more about him as a person, and to give him an opportunity to speak on mic. We talk about video games, his experience navigating his disability, he interviews me about being a mom, and we reflect on our respective experiences with anxiety. We cover a wide range of topics and we had a great time! We hope you enjoy it!“Project SEARCH is a unique school-to-work training program for students with disabilities. Students are immersed at a host business and get more than 700 hours of hands-on work experience geared to in-demand roles in the local labour market. They learn employability skills and plan their careers with guidance from a teacher and skills trainers.”This interview was originally recorded on Oct 2nd, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Janice Henderson, a recent new resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. We talk about Janice's career as a Real Estate Agent here in Guelph, how she started in that profession after her divorce, becoming a single mom to five kids and navigating a work life balance to always be there for all of their events and important moments. In recent times she's had to adjust again, recovering from a stroke, and a recent dementia diagnosis, which led to her decision to choose Riverside Glen as a home. Janice is a strong believer in working from where you are, to put in the effort to try create the life you are comfortable with, dealing with the things you can't prepare for, and focusing on the friends and family you want to be with. This was a nice hangout and conversation, we enjoyed each other's company and I felt honoured to have been one of the first activities Janice has participated in! I'm excited for her days ahead! Thank you Janice for being my guest!This interview was originally recorded on September 24th 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Neil and Sheila McLaren, residents at The Village of Riverside Glen. These two may be brand new to living at Riverside Glen, but Neil's mother was a resident twenty years ago, and it was his positive experience and weekly visits back then, that inspired them to look into Riverside Glen for their own care-plans. He played the piano every week when he visited way back then, and upon moving into Riverside Glen was shocked and pleased when a staff member remembered him from all that time ago. These two share some history of their respective upbringings, the point at which singing in the choir and playing music led to them crossing paths, and their fulfilling careers - Neil as a math teacher, and Sheila in computers and curriculum creation. After talking to these two I make the observation that they should consider writing curriculum for aging, and how to navigate the timeline and adjustments of moving through different stages of homes, and care. These two are very inspiring, really having seemed to arrive to this stage of life on their own terms. It's a valuable listen! Thank you Neil and Sheila!This interview was originally recorded on September 10th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Leo Bock, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Leo is relatively new to the building, having moved to retirement to be close to his wife who is being cared for in Long Term Care. Leo opens up about this stage of life, transitioning to living alone, but surrounded by other residents, navigating the social balance of trying to have meaningful conversations and build connections, while not being sure where folks' feelings on issues land and not wanting to upset or offend people. Leo was born in Israel, and came to Canada as a teenager, and he constantly watches the news in order to stay connected to his homeland, and to stay aware of the turmoil it is immersed in. He's feeling the heavy reality of the myriad of issues our world is facing, and it's not an easy process, trying to find people to talk to, and to figure out if any other residents are also paying attention to the outside world to the same extent - so it was particularly special that Leo and I were connected with each other and made some extra space together for difficult conversations. This was a very valuable chat for me, and it is an incredible feeling to feel like you were able to connect and make space when it was really needed. Thank you Leo for being willing to be vulnerable with me!This interview was originally recorded on September 5th 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

This radio special was recorded at the 2024 Schlegel Summer Olympics! I followed 6 athletes from The Village of Riverside Glen and their coaches/support/staff on their journey to the host location (The Village of Glen Crossing), and with the help of Kadri we recorded pre and post interviews, recordings from the event, and some interviews Schlegel staff who helped coordinate the event. I hope you enjoy it!This radio special was originally recorded on July 30th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Bill Cunningham, a younger resident at The Village of Riverside Glen who moved into the facility because he suffers from Epilepsy, and had been living alone, and felt it would be safer to be sure there would be help if he suffered a seizure. Bill talks about his epilepsy, some of the challenges and changes it has meant, his training of his dog Titan, his life before his diagnosis (including his work as a zamboni driver for the University of Guelph), and we spend a lot of time talking about the changes in Guelph over the years (Bill's family goes way back multiple generations in this city!) Thank you Bill for sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on July 18th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interviewed Norah Spades and Jitterbug James of the band “The Vaudevillian”. The Vaudevillian are a two-piece band covering 1930's ragtime/blues/jug and/hokum songs, and I caught up with them at their recent performance at The Village of Riverside Glen. Today's episode features a live recording from their show and a short interview where they share their origin stories, the hustle and grind of busking life that they started in and where they're headed now. They played this year's Hillside Festival, their official Hillside set was 12:15 on Sunday July 21st at the Lake Stage, and they also led some workshops throughout the weekend (including Norah's workshop on how to play washboard).This interview was originally recorded on July 10, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Barb Merkley, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Barb has lived at Riverside Glen for eight years, and she's an integral part of the Village community, with many of the residents and staff feeling like family to her. Her and I became fast friends on our bus trip to the drag races at Grand Bend, and she quickly became a willing guest for radio. Barb shares about Riverside Glen, her friends, and the many activities she's a part of. She shares stories of her family outside Riverside Glen, her career as a nurse, and her beloved husband, who was a huge part of her life. She is open for almost anything and is embracing all new opportunities that come her way. Thank you Barb for your quick friendship and conversation! Here's to many more bus rides!This interview was originally recorded on July 4th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Harry O'Connell, a resident in Long Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Harry shares many glimpses into different stages of life, from his childhood spent in London and summers in Port Stanley, to joining the military, leaving the military due to a boxing injury, getting married, a long career as a stationary engineer, through to having children (and now five generations with even some great-great grandchildren!!). Harry's life is dramatically different now, having lost his wife of 74 years who he had been caring for, and now living in Long-Term Care, but not different as in slowing down - in recent months Harry has done everything from helicopter rides to the CN Tower Edge-Walk to sky diving. The Village of Riverside Glen has been trying to schedule "Bucket list" activities for residents, and Harry has been (literally) jumping at every opportunity. Thank you Harry for giving us a window into your long and full life!This interview was originally recorded June 27 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview David "Byron" Howat, a resident at @The Village of Riverside Glen. Byron talks about his childhood in Saskatewan (including a rebellious/daredevil stage that could have led to him meeting his end!) his career working in Computer Systems, his family, and his 30 years traveling to Cape Breton with his second wife - Byron has a profound love for that place, and it truly became a second home. Thank you Byron for this lovely chat about your past!!This interview was originally recorded on June 3 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview a resident, who shares her story of being born and raised in Ireland, leaving school at a young age to become a hairdresser, and following that path upon her arrival to Canada as a teenager. Thank you to this resident for being willing to chat with me and share her story!This interview was originally recorded on May 9th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Ju Man Chen, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Ju Man is originally from Kolkata, India, and - supported by his daughter Jean - Ju Man shares his story of growing up as part of a small community of Hakka Chinese. He shares of his experiences navigating poverty, and his strong work-ethic, helping to financially support his family by dropping out of school to work at a very young age, and his experience moving with his family to Canada as a young adult. He has an innate ability to take apart and understand how things work, and his ability to learn by doing helped him in his decades long career working at Timberland in Woodstock Ontario. He often worked several jobs simultaneously to support his wife and four daughters, and now is enjoying his abundance of grandchildren, and is trying to learn how to enjoy "leisure". We had a fun hangout, and I can't wait to drive him and his fellow residents to the raceway as their new bus driver! Thank you Jean and Ju Man for spending time with me and sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on May 23 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Grace Wilson. Her conversation begins with sharing stories from many adventures traveling across the world, in the company of her daughter and her daughter's wife, two young spontaneous, jet-setting Aerospace engineers. When asked where her daughter's exciting/confident/traveling-lifestyle originated, Grace shares some of her own past, and her incredible route through a lifelong career (largely self-taught) in Optometry - and it's clear that Grace was a role model of tenacity and determination! She's an inspiration, and fun company, and I'm glad we got this chance to hangout. Thank you Grace for a fun afternoon!This interview was originally recorded on May 16, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Elizabeth "Betty" Beard, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Betty has lived closed to 100 years, and shares today about her family, growing up in Toronto and living for a time in Wingham, her musical background, playing the bells, and her family's band "The Beard Family Singers". Thank you Betty for making the time to chat!This interview was originally recorded on April 4th 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

Today I interview Anneke Haan, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Anneke was born in Holland, and moved to Canada when she was three. She grew up in Fergus and Elora, and has lived all around this area, and she shares stories from her journey around these parts, starting a career in nursing before shifting to accounting, and for a time running a crafting/general store in Shellburne. We bond over a shared love of plants, crafts, and spread sheets. She's still adjusting to this new stage of life, and is open about that experience, and her story will likely connect with lots of folks in one area or another. It was an enjoyable chat, and I'm thankful Anneke took the time to connect!This interview was originally recorded on March 28th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Elaine Beattie, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Elaine was born and raised on Prince Edward Island, before the bridge was built. She shares her story of what life was like on the island, then moving to the exciting city of Montreal to become a nurse, starting a family, and later pivoting to become a United Church Minister. Elaine is the president of the Resident's Council, helping to advocate for her fellow residents, and it gives her a great perspective to share from when giving a window into what life can be like at Riverside Glen. Thank you Elaine for sharing with us!Original Recording Date: March 21, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For today's episode my guest is Norah Chaloner, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. I know today's guest won't be a stranger to many of my long-time Guelphite friends, Guelph history-loving friends, and Guelph artist friends - Norah is an incredible fixture in our community! And it was such a treat talking about the history of Guelph and the surrounding area. She shared many Guelph stories I had never heard before, gave some insights into the possible inspiration for the Blacksmith Fountain (my favourite piece of Guelph historic art!) and shared about her advocacy work, working with several community groups to protect and defend the Yorklands Green Hub. This was a great conversation, and I look forward to future visits with Norah. I'm so glad we were connected for this! Tune in, and thank you Nora!This interview was originally recorded on March 14th, 2024. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Hearty Missier, a recent resident in Long Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Originally from Sri Lanka, Hearty shares stories from growing up, her challenging home life, and how her strong will and outspoken voice carried her through it. I learned so much about Sri Lanka's class system, how it affected Hearty's emigration to Canada, who she was allowed to spend time with, and even wild details such as Hearty not being born in “Sri Lanka”, because she was born in 1940, and Sri Lanka didn't gain independence until 1948, so she wasn't recognized as being a citizen by birth. Hearty is a real character, quiet and observing when around her fellow residents, and apparently saving her stories for people like me, and I'm very thankful she opened up to me! We laughed a lot. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and educational conversation, and I hope you like it as much as I did!This interview was originally recorded on Feb 22nd, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

Today I had the pleasure of interview Bob Seim, a Guelph-born, history-loving, retired child-psychologist with a myriad of hobbies including horticulture, and maintaining a newsletter devoted to the history of G.C.V.I. I've been very lucky lately with how much of a bond I've been able to form so quickly with my guests - Bob gave me a window into Guelph from his childhood, told through the lens of having grown up in an orphanage, in an era when kids hopped on their bikes and roamed the city till the sun went down. So many stories from Guelph's history that I haven't heard before! So interesting! Hopefully you'll enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Thank you Bob for being willing to share with me - I know it's not something you do all the time!This interview was originally recorded on Feb 8 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

Today I interview Roman Kramer, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. I haven't interviewed a lot of folks from Switzerland, and Roman provided a great opportunity for me to learn about Switzerland's history, particularly in relation to WWII. We speak about this, and hear of Roman's journey to Canada, and his successful career as a carpenter, supervising many huge builds in our area. He is also an incredible artist, a car-enthusiast, and we really bonded, as it seems like we have similar ways of thinking, and tackling massive and multifaceted projects. This was definitely a fun one. Thank you Roman for the fantastic conversation!This interview was originally recorded on January 30th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Tom Wilson, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. We kick off our chat talking about Guelph history, sharing where our respective geography crossed paths, at different periods of time. Tom shares some stories from his at-times-challenging-relationship with his many-decade career on the police force, and his frustrated feelings about where he is at this stage of life. It's very important to me that we create space for folks to share complicated and difficult feelings, and I'm glad Tom felt comfortable opening up to me. Thank you Tom for sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on January 6th, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Jo-Anne Lowden, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Jo-Anne shares stories of early childhood in northern Ontario, her move to the big city of Hamilton to become a Hairdresser in her youth, and raising a family. Thank you Jo-Anne for sharing your story!This episode was originally recorded on December 12th, 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Norman Coolahan, a recent resident in Long-Term-Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Norman had a thirty year career with the TTC in Toronto. So with my background in bus driving, we had a lot to talk about! Listen to learn about the early days of buses and street cars and subways, about Norman's, life transitioning into Long-Term-Care, and a little about his friend “Freddy” too. Thanks Norman for sharing your story!This interview was originally recorded on Nov 21st, 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Ed & Sheila Millar, a couple living in retirement at The Village of Riverside Glen. They reflect on their early days in Hamilton, growing up just four blocks apart but never meeting until they were adults. Ed paints a picture of the Hamilton mountain when you could still hunt there, and houses were sparse. He's nostalgic for the days before cellphones, and cherishes the wisdom passed down from seniors.This interview was originally recorded on November 14th, 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Francoise Dalcourt, a resident in Long Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Francoise takes us back through a challenging childhood, falling sick with Polio as a baby, in a huge family of nine, and a very tough home life. But Francoise is a "tough cookie" as she puts it, and through those challenges she shares about the positive times, finding love, moving to Guelph and starting her own family, and how some of the challenges she lived through brought her closer to her siblings. We bond over a shared love of the beauty of New Brunswick, and a shared love of babies. Thank you Francoise for spending time with me, for being strong and vulnerable and sharing your story!Original Recording Date Nov 7th 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode my guest is Teresa Langel, a resident in Long Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Teresa shares wonderful and hilarious stories of her and her husband's earliest days, meeting at a dance as teenagers, and going on to have five children, and many more grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her story includes a harrowing road trip as a 19 year old to Mexico, perseverance navigating challenges with her body while maintaining a career, family, and getting a university degree, and some adorable tips for managing a kindergarten class full of wiggly children. She's also looking for a magician for an upcoming family reunion, if you happen to know anyone for the gig! I loved speaking with Teresa and am so appreciative of her sharing her story. I hope you enjoy it!This interview was originally recorded on Oct 24th, 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Lillian Parker, a resident in Long-Term-Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. Lil is utilizing her time at Riverside Glen by helping her fellow residents, and taking part on the Residents' Council, advocating on behalf of residents for a "Social Model of Living". Lil has an incredible disposition, and she speaks openly about her perspectives on life in Long-Term Care, about aging, friendship, health, and even death. When Lil had a stroke a number of years ago, her husband supported her through her recovery, as it took her two years to regain the ability to speak. As her husband's health has declined, Lil has done the same for him, caring for him as he moved into Long-Term-Care at Riverside Glen, and now living with him there, caring for him through his journey post-stroke, and progressing dementia. Lil's attitude towards life's unpredictable challenges is truly inspirational, and she somehow can speak about the reality of death and loss and still make you smile. This is a truly special one. I don't go into these interviews with the intention of asking my guests to open up about heavy topics, as I am a guest in their spaces, and I don't like the idea of bringing up something heavy, then leaving them with big feelings - but I do try to hold space for these things, and when my guests do want to use this opportunity to talk about these things I feel incredibly honoured. Thank you Lil for being willing to share with us!This interview was originally recorded on Oct 17, 2023 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com