We were extremely fortunate that Leah and Willie were able to find time for us to sit down and have a chat about the Humanizing The Homeless project. Willie hails from Texas and was only here for a brief whirlwind trip through Ontario for his project in collaboration with Leah.

Both Leah and Willie have largely dedicated their lives to raising awareness of our growing homelessness issue. Through their work they were able to find eachother and develop an incredibly moving, cooperative exhibit that showcases both of their individual approaches to raising awareness of the issue. While Leah's work focuses more on the individual through her incredible photography and storytelling abilities, Willie has acquired signs from unhoused individuals he's interacted with over two decades through his project "Signs of Humanity", creating a captivating gallery of messages that will move you.

We hope you enjoy this timely conversation.

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Learn more about the Collingwood Public Library: https://www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca/

For over two decades, Rosemarie O'Brien was the driving force behind the Collingwood Elvis Festival — the largest Elvis tribute festival in the world. In this heartfelt episode, Rosemarie sits down to reflect on the passion, people, and purpose behind her 23-year journey.

From turning a small-town celebration into an internationally recognized event, to fulfilling her dream of bringing Priscilla Presley to Collingwood, Rosemarie shares the highs, the challenges, and the love that made it all worthwhile.

Thank you, thank you very much for listening.

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Learn more about the Collingwood Public Library: https://www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca/

This week on Syllabus, we dim the lights, cue the eerie music, and welcome a very special guest: Suzanne McLean, our Local History & Genealogy Coordinator at CPL. While Suzanne usually spends her time unearthing the past at the Collingwood Public Library, today she's digging into something even creepier—her deep love of all things frightening!

From vintage scares to modern scream-fests, Suzanne walks us through why spooky season is the most wonderful time of the year, and why she’ll always root for the final girl. Along the way, we discuss local legends, terrifying tropes, and the bizarre joy of being scared in a safe space.

Send us a message to let us know what you think of the Pod!

Learn more about the Collingwood Public Library: https://www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca/