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This Episode Features:

(16:45) Crystal Shawanda, Juno-nominated blues artist shares her powerful journey from gold-selling country music star to acclaimed blues performer. Growing up in a First Nations community, Crystal faced bullying and industry rejection before finding her authentic voice in blues music. Crystal discusses her recent Juno nomination for "Sing Pretty Blues" and her ongoing mission to represent Indigenous artists in mainstream music.

(05:14) Susan Schaeffer, Curator of Art at the Bayside discusses the innovative gallery space created at the Bayside Oceanfront Resort in Parksville. Over a hundred pieces from 25 Vancouver Island artists are displayed throughout the resort's public spaces, featuring an interactive kiosk and website that allows visitors to take self-guided tours. The gallery represents a revolutionary approach to making art accessible while giving local artists a stunning platform to reach tourists and community members alike.

Episode Quotes:

"It felt like letting a bird out of a cage. It felt like all of a sudden I didn't have to hold back anymore. I didn't have to restrain myself... on that first blues record, The Whole Horse Got the Blues, it felt like I was finally free and I could just be myself." --- Crystal Shawanda

"People can come in and search through the kiosk, find all the artists, read up about them, and every art piece has a location so they can go check it out on the third floor or the second floor hallway or whatever, and they can actually have a self-guided tour." --- Susan Schaeffer

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This Episode Features:

Bob Goff, NY Times bestselling author and self-described "recovering lawyer," joins The Resilience Project to share his transformative approach to life's challenges. After 25 years practicing law and serving as Honorary Consul to Uganda, Goff gave up his law firm to pursue writing and speaking full time. As the author of beloved books "Love Does" and "Everybody Always," Goff brings his signature whimsy and playfulness to help listeners shift from "why me" to "what can I do."

In this conversation, he reminds us that resilience isn't built through grand gestures—it's cultivated through small, creative acts of kindness that ripple outward to make a difference in others' lives.

Goff's dynamic, approach to life challenges us to consider: What creative act of kindness could you do for someone today?

You’ll find the following podcasts at: https://thepulsecommunity.ca

The PULSE Community Podcast hosted by Peter McCully & Dave Graham

Skookum Kid’s Stories: The Mellow Submarine and Peter & Gracie

NonPartisan Hacks hosted by Parksville Councillors - Joel Grenz & Sean Wood

A Resilience Project hosted by Cindy Thompson

F3: Football, Food & Fantasy Football hosted by Erin Haluschak Frazier & Chef Jonathan Frazier

Radio Archaeology: Gunsmoke & Dragnet

Bob Goff website: https://www.bobgoff.com

Cindy Thompson’s website: https://cindythompsoncounselling.ca

Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy

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This Episode Features:

(20:35) Adrian Raeside, renowned Vancouver Island cartoonist with over 40 years creating editorial cartoons for the Victoria Times Colonist, discusses his bestselling book "The Canada Handbook." Despite being expelled from his only art class at age 15, Raeside has built a celebrated career including the internationally syndicated comic strip "The Other Coast". His latest work responds to political tensions with humorous illustrations celebrating Canadian identity, tolerance, and culture.

(06:36) Sophia Conway, an Irish-born photographer who made Parksville-Qualicum Beach her home six years ago, shares her unique exhibition "Shelf Memories: The Invitation" at McMillan Art Centre. Conway documents handwritten inscriptions found in used books from Vancouver Island thrift stores and free libraries, preserving personal messages spanning over a century. The interactive exhibition invites the Oceanside community to create their own inscriptions that will circulate through the McMillan Art Centre Community Gardens' free library.

Episode Quotes:

"I think it's just that insight into another person's life... it's something very intimate when it's a little note that you weren't really meant to see. It was between two other people... It's a little time capsule and I love it, and I want to honour that person's memory in a way." --- Sophia Conway, on discovering book inscriptions

"If you're not First Nations, we came from somewhere else. We're a very young country, so I think that's why we're so tolerant. We don't mind what religion you are, what language you speak, what your gender is. We are cool. They accepted me 50-some-odd years ago, so they'll take anyone." --- Adrian Raeside, on Canadian identity

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Erin Haluschak Frazier and Chef Jonathan Frazier’s wrap-up podcast of SuperBowl 60 and the 2025-2026 NFL Season.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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The F3 podcast is live from Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco. Join chef Jonathan Frazier and Erin Haluschak as they connect with Wallace "Wally" Watts known as “Captain SeaHawk”. Originally from Port Alberni, he spent one year at residential school there, learned to fly Cessnas at the Alberni airport and eventually became the first Indigenous pilot hired by United Airlines.

The podcast also features a chat with Bob “The MOJ” Marjanovich, the voice of the BC Lions, who has reported from 24 SuperBowls. He talks guest highlights, CFL, his go-to game day food as well as his Super Bowl 60 prediction.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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The F3 podcast is hitting the road for a special bonus edition—live from Super Bowl 60 in San Francisco. Join chef Jonathan Frazier and Erin Haluschak as they pack their gear, chase great stories, and dive headfirst into the ultimate mashup of food, football, and fandom.

In this episode, they preview a Seahawks vs. Patriots rematch, break down their Super Bowl predictions, and reflect on the nail-biting championship games that set the stage. But this trip is about more than the final score. From iconic Bay Area eats like cioppino, Dungeness crab, Mission-style burritos, garlic noodles, and sourdough clam chowder, to the legendary Taste of the NFL charity event, the duo is on a mission to explore the flavors behind the game.

They’ll also be roaming Radio Row, the Super Bowl Experience, and connecting with unforgettable guests—including a Vancouver Island superfan known as “Captain Seahawk.” Expect interviews, live streams, behind-the-scenes moments, and maybe even a giveaway or two. San Francisco, here we come.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville for supporting ThePulseCommunity.ca.

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This Episode Features:

(24:48) Mike Haan, SunFest Country Music Festival director, shares details about the 2026 lineup at Lake Town Amphitheatre in Lake Cowichan. Fresh from a three-week Antarctic expedition, Haan reveals headliners including Tyler Hubbard, Jon Pardi, and Riley Green coming to Vancouver Island. The conversation explores how SunFest has evolved into a world-class country music venue, generating $13 million in regional economic impact for the Cowichan Valley while supporting local Vancouver Island artists and vendors. Tickets are moving quickly at: https://sunfestconcerts.com

(06:00) Pharmacist Aki Shah discusses seasonal affective disorder and mental health strategies for Vancouver Island residents facing winter blues. Shah offers practical wisdom about treating mental health medications as tools rather than solutions, emphasizing anxiety treatment over antidepressants during seasonal struggles. Learn why the "prep month" philosophy could transform your approach to New Year's resolutions and mental wellness throughout the darker months.

Episode Quotes:

"You really have a sense that you're going to an established venue, a world-class place to see a concert, as opposed to going to a soccer field or rodeo grounds to see a show. And that resonates with people." --- Mike Haan, on what makes Lake Town Amphitheatre special

"Consider medication as a tool rather than a solution... Once the job's done, don't keep holding onto it. You just put it down." --- Aki Shah, on mental health medications

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Two Parksville city councillors break down how public hearings, emails, and civic engagement actually work.

Public hearings, council emails, Facebook rants — everyone has an opinion on how to make their voice heard in local government. But most people have no idea how any of it actually works from the other side of the table.

Joel Grenz and Sean Wood, both three years into life as Parksville city councillors — break down what public engagement is actually for, what works, what doesn’t, and why your strongly worded Facebook post probably isn’t moving the needle the way you think it is.

Episode Highlights:

What public hearings are (and aren’t) designed to do, including why council can’t correct misinformation on the spot

Why a personal email will always outperform a form letter

The underrated power of just asking your councillor for coffee

The uncomfortable truth about social media as a civic tool

Why “being heard” and “getting your way” are two very different things — and why that’s actually okay

We’re a representative democracy. That means we elect people to make tough calls on our behalf — even the unpopular ones. This episode is about understanding that system well enough to actually work within it.

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