Bridging the Social Distance

For this episode I interview Kay Mighton, also known as cook book author "Kay Spicer". Kay lives in Long-Term Care at  The Village of Riverside Glen , and today we talk all about cooking, the craft of creating cookbooks, and Kay's career and education in cooking. She's a delightful guest, and we hope we get to try her cookies someday! This interview was originally recorded on September 23rd, 2020...

For this episode I interview David Boyd, a 97 year-old resident in Long-Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen , and author of "Mighty Mouth's Crap Book". David grew up in Norval Ontario. He shares lots of incredible stories today - he fought in WWII, working in radar, locating safe places for Paratroopers to land. After the war he took a summer job installing radar in ships in Halifax. He had...

For this episode, my guest is Tom Baker, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Tom is an inspiring person to talk to about health, healing, and recovery - he's lived through several bouts of cancer and heart attacks, including one only a few weeks back. And while it's not ideal to have major health scares during a pandemic, he has a sense of humour and disposition to get himself through it,...

For this episode I interview Elizabeth Hurlbut, a resident in Long-Term Care at The Village of Riverside Glen. When quarantine measures hit, Elizabeth - who has several chronic health conditions - had to make the difficult decision to leave her part time job in order to protect her health and the health of her fellow residents. The pause is difficult, and puts the breaks on her hopes of transition...

For this episode I interview Jake Klassen, a resident at  The Village of Riverside Glen . Jake moved in to Riverside Glen during the pandemic, and because of a subsequent quarantine was stuck in his room for 28 days. So he's very excited to get back outside! Tune in today for his story, of growing up in Dundurn Saskatewan, farming as a conscientious objector during the war, spending his winters bu...

For this episode of "Bridging the Social Distance", I interview Garry Glowacki, curator of "Art Inside Out" - an outdoor exhibit of art created by prison inmates during Garry's time working and running art programs in prisons. You can check it out every weekend in September from Thursday-Sunday, 10am till 6pm at 140 Metcalfe St, corner of Eramosa. This week's exhibit focuses on Indigenous art. Thi...

For this episode I interview  Lynne Mc Intee, Publicity Chair for the  Guelph Little Theatre . We talk about theatre's next show, "Cafe Conversations" a performance that is set to air online within the next few weeks, that is based on short stories by local author Marion Reidel. We talk about the Guelph Little Theatre's 85th anniversary this year, and how they've responding and adapting to this pa...

This is my 100th episode! For this very special episode, I interview one of my favourite musicians and dear friends,  Wax Mannequin . Wax Mannequin is the perfect 100th guest - he's been performing online nearly every Friday since this pandemic began, forming my pandemic soundtrack in the biggest and most meaningful way. A little piece of creative comfort in a time of unknowns. Today we talk about...

This is the 99th episode of this show, and my guest is Juanita Burnett. Juanita is a balcony gardener/ book-addict/ library worker/ communist/ feminist/ karaokeist who lives here in Guelph. She has also been one of the most faithful listeners to this show, so it's wonderful to get the chance to hear her perspective on this pandemic, and the impact it has had on her life and livelihood. Thank you s...

For this episode I head to Long-Term Care at  The Village of Riverside Glen , where I interviews Frances Hansplant. Frances shares stories about her life - her various jobs (including helping with courses hosted on the CBC), her husband John who was an artist, and her travels across this country. There are some tears in this episode, Frances shares some hard memories, so listeners should ready the...

For this episode I interview Christine Hames (a kinesiologist and director of the Program for Active Living at Schlegel Villages) and Ally Haffner (a kinesiologist in Long Term Care at the Village of Riverside Glen) and we discuss “PAL” the Program for Active Living.  About PAL: “When we enhance our physical well being, our mind and spirit are lifted as well.  In 1996 with this philosophy in mind,...

Today Jenny interviews Mary Parker, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen.  Mary is such a delight, so sweet, so funny, and opens up in the biggest way.  Mary was born in Cape Breton, and was fostered to a family to help out at a farm.  In later years she gave birth to nine children, aspiring to create the family connection she was missing in her youth.  Listeners to this episode should prep...

For this episode I interview B.a. Johnston, a Hamilton based performer and now children’s author. B.A. is known for dive bar performances that include cheap Canadian beer, and singalongs about GST Cheques, and Deep Fryers in bedrooms, and so perhaps the journey to children’s books isn’t so hard to imagine. His new children’s book is called “Gary the Seagull”, and was inspired by a story he tells h...

For this episode I interview Barbara James, a resident at the Village of Riverside Glen.  Barbara is another new resident who moved during this pandemic, arriving straight from a hospital, and subsequently has had a lot of quarantining.  And she admits it would be nice to get to meet some people and make some new friends.  But despite this, she’s kept a fantastic disposition, and laughs her way th...

For this episode I interview Katrina Bell - Katrina operates a local candle-business known as  The Copper Bell , specializing in scent-sensitive candles with witty-pun titles, and she also operates  Artisanly , a "local box"/online craft market which sells selections of incredible handmade goods from various artists and artisans in the area. These passions were born out of many things: a change in...

This episode of "Bridging the Social Distance" is a very moving conversation with Don at The Village of Riverside Glen.  Don and his wife have been married for 68 years, starting as high school sweethearts.  She lives in Long-Term Care, and Don's in retirement, so they haven't been able to be together for long stretches of this pandemic.  His wife has been a huge support for him during his life, s...

For this episode I interview Bob Wiseman, a musician based in Toronto Ontario, who has just published a book: “Music Lessons”, out on ECW Press. About “Music Lessons”: “Bob Wiseman believes most things in life are universal or, as Lauryn Hill says, everything is everything. Bearing in mind that advice, Wiseman writes about finding the link between music and daily life, like what is common between...

For this episode I interview Glenna Duff, a resident in Long-Term Care at  The Village of Riverside Glen . Glenna came to Ontario from Saskatchewan in 1932 with her family when she was three years old, in a Ford Car, with their dog riding on the running board :) She was born in Rockglen Saskatchewan, which is where she got her name. She’s traveled the world, living three months in Scotland when sh...

For this episode I interview Kim Boyes, Long-Term Care Neighbourhood Coordinator at  The Village at University Gates , and Hilda Melbourne, a Housekeeping Aide in the Emma Dementia Care Neighbourhood at  The Village of Riverside Glen , who are two of  Schlegel Villages ' “CONNECT the Dots” Program facilitators and educators. CONNECT The Dots is a program that has been developed to make sure reside...

For this episode I interview Joyce Kelterborn, a resident at The Village of Riverside Glen.  Joyce is another senior who moved into the residence during the pandemic - after a stretch of time in the hospital, she faced a health reality that didn't leave remaining at home an option.  Joyce shares how hard it is to move into one of these facilities when it isn’t your own choice.  Her attitude toward...

For this episode I interview Emily O'Brien, the Founder and Creative Director of  Comeback Snacks  - a gourmet popcorn company Emily started in federal prison. Comeback Snacks provides reintegration opportunities and second chances for people who have difficulty finding meaningful employment opportunities when they are released from prison. Today we talk about Emily's journey from her arrest and h...

For this episode my guest is Nancy Calverley, a resident at  The Village of Riverside Glen  - and Nancy has lots of stories! Born in Scotland, fostered during the war, and surviving several family hardships after moving to Canada as a young married woman, Nancy has strength and perspective - she marvels at how far the medical world has come since her youth, and while she doesn't love being quarant...

For this episode I interview Pacifico “Puss” Valeriote, a 100 year old resident at  The Village of Riverside Glen , born and raised here in Guelph. At 100 years, Pacifico remains a wonderful and charming storyteller - his memory weaves through time, with stories from Alice Street in the Ward, his family’s General Store, and his time in the war, right up to the present where he reflects on the pand...

For this episode I interview Ajay Heble, founder of the Guelph Jazz Festival, Director of the  International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation , and artistic director of "IF 2020" IF 2020 was a 24-hour online improvisation festival that aired starting on Friday August 7th, featuring 100+ unique, original performances by over 150 international artists of all disciplines. Today we talk...

For this episode I interview  Dustin Seabrook , also known for his work as "STILL Creates", who is coordinating "Project Isolation". Project Isolation is a video-series that acts as documentation of people’s personal accounts as they navigate their way through the COVID-19 pandemic. There are tons of parallels between my project and Dustin's project, and it makes for a super interesting conversati...