Neighbor to Neighbor

When the Bellingham Bells are on the diamond, you know it's summer in Whatcom County. As a member of the West Coast League, the Bells compete in a 57-game season throughout the months of June, July and August. The players, who are all college athletes, play other teams in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Stephanie Morrell, the General Manager for the Bellingham Bells.

Go to the local grocery store you're likely to see a tiny butterfly label on many grocery products. The label is that of the Non-GMO Project. What most people dont' realize is this nonprofit is based in Bellingham and a member of WECU. On this episode we speak with Hans Eisenbeis the Director of Mission and Messaging at the Non-GMO Project.  

On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Pam Borso of the North Cascades Audubon Society.

On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Denise Constanten, the Executive Director for Brigadoon Service Dogs, a nonprofit located in Bellingham that provides service dogs for Veterans, Children and Adults with physical, developmental, and behavioral health disabilities.

Every October a day is set aside to celebrate the tremendous work that credit unions and other financial cooperatives are doing around the world . On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Greg Neuman and Mike Reuter from the World Council of Credit Unions about International Credit Union Day and the global credit union movement.

This podcast isn't suitable for children as it discusses many adult themes. Listener discretion is advised. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Aaron Newcomb, the Executive Director for Engedi Refuge, a nonprofit located in Lynden that serves women transitioning out of human trafficking.

Located in Downtown Bellingham on Bay Street is a unique storefront often overlooked by locals. The Spark Museum contains one of the best collections focused on the topic of electrical invention in the entire country. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Abby Whatley the Director of Programs at the Spark Museum.

Winters are long and gray in the pacific northwest. Day after day of rain. When the first rays of sunshine start shining through at the beginning of spring and the flowers start to bud, we take advantage. And for many people, we turn our attention to our yards and gardens. That’s where great local nurseries like My Garden Nursery, located on Bakerview Road come in to supply us with everything we need to bring our outdoor spaces to life. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Antoni of My Garden Nursery.

Max Higbee Center has been serving people with developmental disabilities in Whatcom County for decades. In this episode, we speak with the Executive Director, Kait Whiteside about the nonprofit, its programs, and its future. 

The holidays are a great time to enjoy a bottle of something nice. Maybe for you, that’s a bottle of eggnog from Twin Brook Creamery in Lynden, or a Stout from one of our many local breweries, for others a nice bourbon or liquor is what you enjoy. When that is the case, we’re lucky to have some excellent local distilleries. One of which is Chuckanut Bay Distillery. Since 2011, Chuckanut Bay Distillery has built a strong reputation for producing high quality and award-winning spirits utilizing ingredients grown in our region. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Matt Howell and Kelly Andrews the founders of Chuckanut Bay Distillery. Learn more about Chuckanut Bay Distillery by visiting https://www.chuckanutbaydistillery.com/

Starting a business is hard. Starting a business during a pandemic is even harder. But when Derek Peris, a veteran, found himself laid off due to the Coronavirus, that’s exactly what he and his wife Debbie did. On this episode of neighbor to neighbor I speak with Derek Peris, the owner and lead roaster at Barnyard Coffee Roasters located in Blaine, Washington. Learn more about Barnyard Coffee Roasters by visiting https://barnyardcoffee.com/

Middle school is a really hard time for kids. Not only are you transitioning from being a child to a young adult, you’re also pumped full of hormones. This transition is exasperated when a student is also dealing with a hard home life. To really help kids who are struggling it often takes a lot of time and one-on-one attention that school districts simply don’t have. That’s where Communities in Schools comes in. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Ario Salazar, the Executive Director for  Communities in Schools of Whatcom and Skagit Counties.

Many small businesses have been impacted by COVID-19. The organizations with their finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the small business community are our local Chambers of Commerce. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Gary Vis, the Director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce.

Most people bunker down when the weather turns south in our area, not Randy Small. Randy is the founder of Whatcom County Weather. When there’s wind, rain, and snow, or any other kind of major weather event, you can find Randy smack dab in the middle of it with his camera. On this is episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Randy Small about how he turned his interest in storm chasing and weather tracking into a full blown weather reporting service with a strong following. You can learn more about Whatcom County Weather by visiting the Facebook page or the website http://whatcomcountywx.com/?fbclid=IwAR27vAtfPIginOZ0KmIMe0gF0hF6SiJkOXN6hFcK6IKnIB_onyJ95aMW9M8 Neighbor to Neighbor is a podcast by WECU, a credit union based in Bellingham, Washington.  To learn more about WECU and this podcast visit https://www.wecu.com/category/neighbor-to-neighbor/

Drive down West Holly Street in old town Bellingham and on any given day and there’s a good possibility you’ll see a number of homeless people standing outside. These people are there because that’s where the Lighthouse Mission is. My name is Keith Mader and in this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Hans Erchinger-Davis, the Executive Director for The Lighthouse Mission. We’ll discuss a number of things including what the mission is doing to help, why there are so many homeless people in Bellingham, how you can get involved, plus what he suggests you do for panhandlers you see on the side of the road.   Since 1923, Lighthouse Mission Ministries has provided shelter, meals, and compassionate services to men, women, and children of Whatcom County in need – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Lighthouse Mission aims to be a consistent friend to people in homelessness. This is done through four distinct programs that come alongside people, wherever they are, to offer hope, give dignity, serve, and support as they undertake the difficult work of leaving homelessness behind.   Neighbor to Neighbor is a podcast by WECU, a credit union based in Bellingham, Washington.  To learn more about WECU and this podcast visit https://www.wecu.com/category/neighbor-to-neighbor/

The United States as a country is relatively young and the West Coast is even younger. Still, there's a lot of history in this area that most people don't know about. For example, did you know that there used to be skirmishes on what is now the US Canadian border between the Russian and the British? Or did you know that there was a gold rush in Canada just north of here? On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we sit down with Wes Gannaway, the President of the Whatcom Historical Society. 

In the military, you’re a part of a tribe. You have a community, a clear mission, and a purpose. When you come home, everything changes. This tribe is gone, and you must search for your sense of purpose again. Many veterans, even many years, even decades after leaving the military, suffer from depression, isolation, and alcoholism because of this. Growing Veterans is a non-profit that seeks to do something about this issue in an unconventional way. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Sean Dalgarn, the Communication and Outreach Manager for Growing Veterans.  

If you’ve ever wanted to do something you’d never done before, it can feel intimidating- especially if you don’t see anyone doing it that looks like you. There’s a non-profit in Bellingham that was formed around this idea. They created programs that welcome women to the world of outdoor recreation and extreme sports. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Kari Humphreys, a Co-Founder of the non-profit, Shifting Gears.

Downtown Bellingham has seen a renaissance over the last decade. Today it’s more vibrant and full of life than ever before. From the wonderful businesses continue to sprout up left and right, to the exciting community events, and colorful street art… there are a lot of good things happening downtown. The organization that is at the center of it all is the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. My name is Keith Mader and, on this episode, I speak with Marissa McGrath, the Assistant Director of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. Learn more about WECU: https://www.wecu.com/ Learn more about the Downtown Bellingham Partnership: https://www.downtownbellingham.com/

There's a funny little thing people say when they're talking about running away and escaping, they say "I'm going to run away to the circus". That's not such a crazy idea in Bellingham because the local circus is run out of a building in Fairhaven. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Bellingham Circus Guild Member, Dream Frohe.  Learn more about the Bellingham Circus Guild: http://bellinghamcircusguild.com/ WECU is a credit union based in Bellingham, Washington who serves all who live, work or worship in the state of Washington. As a credit union, WECU doesn't have owners or shareholders, it has members. Since 1936, WECU has always been about providing honest, genuine service, great rates and low fees, and being a committed friend to its local community. Learn more at https://www.wecu.com/.  

In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Gail Ridenour, Executive Director for the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Formerly known as the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, the Bellingham Symphony consists of over 80 volunteer musicians, including many local music teachers. It performs six season concerts throughout the year at the Mt. Baker Theatre. It also engages in many community outreach programs. In this interview, we discuss all aspects of this robust organization as well as the individual stories of Gail Ridenour and Music Director, Yaniv Attar. Learn more about the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra https://www.bellinghamsymphony.org View their upcoming events https://www.bellinghamsymphony.org/events

Over the last two decades, Whatcom County has experienced tremendous growth in the sport of disc golf. This free sport, which mirrors the rules of ball golf, takes place at parks. Currently, in Whatcom County, there are courses at Cornwall Park in Bellingham, VanderYacht park in Ferndale, and Lincoln Park in Blaine. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Ryan Klassen, the President of the Whatcom Disc Golf Club, a local organization working to bring awareness and growth to the sport of disc golf in our community.  

Victoria’s dreams were too big for the ponds and lakes of Tennessee. From across the country, Bellingham Bay was calling her home. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Victoria Ayers, the owner of Dragonfly Kayak Tours. Victoria tells how she fell in love with kayaking in the ponds and lakes of Tennessee but, after seeing a photo of Bellingham Bay, she knew it was where she needed to be. She loaded up all of her worldly possessions into her car and moved across the country to a place she had never even visited.  In this episode, we speak about her journey to starting her own kayak tour business, overnight kayak camping trips on the San Juan Islands, hidden coves, Victoria's dream kayak adventures, bio-luminescence, and the most magical moment Victoria has ever had on a Kayak. 

One of the most amazing parts about living in our little corner of the country is the geography. On one side, we have the ocean, on the other mountains. This unique nestling of our community right smack dab in the middle between the two means we live in an outdoor enthusiasts’ playground. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader speaks with Eric Brown a curator of one of our most loved playgrounds. He is the Executive Director for the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition or WMBC.

Many of us have heard scary stories of new home owners dealing with costly and even dangerous home repairs they did not expect. From leaky septic tanks to radon gas, to moldy walls and all the things that freeze in the night, it's a home inspector's job to make sure that those situations don't happen to you. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Adam Morvee of Ground Up Inspections. What, on it's surface, may seem like a dry subject is anything but, as Adam shares tidbits and stories from his years of home inspecting. 

In North Bellingham, there is a mushroom farm producing hundreds of pounds of mushrooms every single week in indoor warehouses. Driving by, you wouldn’t know it’s there. But what’s more interesting is that these aren’t your regular white button mushrooms you typically see on pizza or salad. Instead, they’re all exotic varieties. No, "exotic" does not mean psychedelic, rather mushrooms that are more commonly found in European or Asian Cuisine. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader speaks with Alex Winstead about his story, how he went from a walk in the woods hunting mushrooms with a friend, to committing his life to growing and selling them, and also speak about mushrooms that glow in the dark, training truffle hunting dogs, and the time he tried orange pickled mushrooms in Uruguay.

For years Colby Stensland didn’t used to like Christmas. He didn’t decorate. Bought the minimal number of presents required. Holiday cheer, for him, was almost non-existent. And it’s not because he was a scrooge… it’s just that after his mom passed away a couple days before Christmas when he was a teenager, he just had a sour taste in his mouth about the whole Holiday. Surprisingly, he now runs a non-profit that’s about as Christmassy as it gets, and he’s about as into Christmas as a jolly old elf.

Pasta.  Americans eat a lot of it. In fact, this week 59% of Americans will eat a pasta or noodle dish at least once. We eat, on average, 20 pounds of it per year. The thing is- not much of it comes from here, Washington state or the Northwest in general. Most Italian style pastas come from Italy and if not from Italy then the Midwest or East Coast. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Katie Hinton, President & CEO of Bellingham Pasta Company, a company who brings fresh local pasta to the tables of Whatcom County. 

68% of American Families have a household pet according to recent survey. It’s more common today than ever before. And while we love our cats and dogs, for the most part, we don’t realize the amazing healing and teaching power animals can have. A Bellingham non-profit is taking various groups out to the farm and they’re seeing amazing results. 

According to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation the average age for a first new business owner is 39 years old. Tomas Aminnie, 25, is a dramatic exception to that norm – and then some. Aminnie, is one of Whatcom County’s newest business owners, having co-founded Downtime Taps in Ferndale with Coconut Kenny’s owner, Chay Tan. What’s more astonishing than his age, is the fact that fourteen years ago, Aminnie was an orphan in Ethiopia and didn’t speak a word of English.

Drive around the streets of downtown Bellingham today and you’re likely to see at least one person who’s homeless. The population in Whatcom County who find themselves without a stable shelter has significantly changed over the last 30 years. Lydia Place, a local non-profit, has made significant strides towards addressing the issue of homelessness in our community. In this episode, host Keith Mader speaks with Ashley Thomason, Housing Program Supervisor for Lydia Place, about the current state of homelessness, how it’s changed, and what the present challenges are. 

People often inherit their parent’s habits and attitudes toward money otherwise known as "Habitudes". The Opportunity Council has designed a program to combat these habitudes which ultimately lead to a continuance of the cycle of generational poverty. The program is called Project X-It and it is currently in its 2nd year of existance. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader and Director of Early Learning and Family Services discuss the program.   

WECU recently announced that the credit union will be going through the largest rebranding effort in its 80+ year history. What will this rebrand mean for the Credit Union? On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sat down with David Jones, WECU's Chief Marketing Officer to discuss the change.