The Stories That Brought You Here

After finishing university in England, Jo thought she was headed to the South Pacific to teach kindergarten. However, an unexpected phone call, would lead her to make a very different choice. She wound up moving to Prince George, B.C., and her life would begin to unfold in many creative, and interesting ways.  Jo will share stories about meeting her future husband, Greg, while in Prince George, an...

Monica Bennett is a long-time resident, and an incredibly active and passionate community member on Pender Island. In this episode, she shares about her personal journey, philosophy on volunteering, and her involvement in various local organizations. Some of these help to enhance seniors' programming, and to promote the arts. She shares insights into the unique energy and sense of belonging found...

Barry and his wife, Clare moved from England to Canada while in their late forties. They first settled in Victoria, but found some challenges adjusting to aspects of this new change. After a few years, they relocated to Pender Island and soon launched the island’s first bookstore, Talisman Books & Gallery. It would become a local hub for readers, artists, and visitors interested in literature...

While in their late-twenties, Craig and his wife, Ruthie, decided to make a big change in their lives. In 2008, they sold their home in Edmonton, packed their bags, and headed out for a year-long trip around the world. One of their major reasons behind this journey, was a desire to discover volunteer opportunities so they could put their individual skills to use. They would wind-up doing this in t...

Bruce Alexander is a psychologist and professor emeritus at Simon Fraser University. He actively taught at SFU from 1970 to 2005. In this interview, he will speak about many of the pivotal experiences he had during that time. One of which, occurred during the 70s, while he was volunteering at a methadone clinic in Vancouver's downtown eastside. There, he would engage in conversations with heroin u...

Gregory Franklin has travelled the world photographing bears up-close in the wild. From pandas to grizzlies to polar bears, he has had many unique experiences while taking photographs of these amazing animals. He will explain his process and philosophy that allows him to be in incredibly close proximity with not only bears, but also mountain gorillas in East Africa. He will also speak about how af...

Marc grew up on a dairy farm in South Central Ontario. After finishing high school, he decided to join the Canadian military. For nine years, he had a variety of unique experiences while in the army. This included a transfer from Ontario to British Columbia. It was while living in Comox, he felt a shift within himself and that a change was needed. He decided to leave the military and return to sch...

In this episode, Paul Williamson will reflect on the many careers he has had in his life. From a logger, newspaper reporter, teacher, lawyer and ultimately a Supreme Court Judge of British Columbia. He will discuss the reasons, and actions he took at various stages in his life, that made him choose between certain paths. Chronicling some of the diverse experiences he had along the way. We also go...

Sarah Smith is a singer/songwriter, who has been performing almost all of her life. She will describe how she first got inspired to sing as a child in church. The musical journey she embarked on eventually led to a decade of playing with the proto-Punk band, The Joys. A busy and creative solo career would follow, which has included multiple album releases, regularly touring through Germany and so...

Misha will share stories about his time working, and living, in various parts of Africa while in his twenties. From there, we enter into a dynamic conversation on the subjects of beauty, art, depression, Hawaii, romantic love...and so much more. Please enjoy this wide-ranging, and surprising interview, with a very thoughtful and amazing person. _____________________________________________________...

This past August long weekend, the 2024 Mosaic Festival took place in the pine forest behind the Community Hall. An annual community arts and culture festival produced by Ptarmigan Arts, Mosaic Fest celebrates the diversity of the land we live on and the beings who inhabit it. It features music, workshops, and nature-based programming. The festival had a big upgrade this year with a change of venu...

Carolyn made her way to the West Coast, from England, in the mid-eighties. At that time, she was beginning what would turn out to be a 35-year career in nursing. The journey would lead her to become the first community nurse on Mayne Island, and then, after moving to Pender Island, continuing that role here. She will speak about her experiences in that time, as well, discuss her many years working...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Rachel Epstein was introduced to South Pender by her parents at an early age. It was during those years, she met Eve and John Smith, two very prominent South Pender locals. Rachel was intrigued by Eve and...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Shelley will speak about the Henshaw family history on South Pender Island and trace the family story back to her grandmother, Mabel Baker, who survived the wreck of the RMS Lusitania in 1915. The Pender f...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Debbie Friesen, the daughter of William Walker, will tell the story of how her grandfather and his brother, bought property on South Pender and built a cabin over a hundred years ago. She will share storie...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Janet, the daughter of Hope and Geoff Jennens, will speak about her family's time living on South Pender. She and her sister, Josephine, had the unique experience of being raised on the island during the 4...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. In the 1970s, Frank came to live on South Pender Island with his uncle, Bill Wilson, who had recently married, Sybil Conery. He spent his formative teen years living with his uncle and Sybil, and she would...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Lynne, the first grandchild of Dora and Arthur Crane, will speak about her family's experience living on South Pender in the 1920s and 30s. Based on stories from her mother Barbara's memoirs, one of Dora a...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Kelly and Ruth, siblings and decedents of the original South Pender settler family, will speak about their family connection to Pender. They will both share stories about summer visits to Pender when they...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and important history of South Pender Pioneer families and their connection to S,DÁYES (South Pender Island) and the surrounding Salish Sea. Barb and John, two descendants of the original Pender settler family, will speak in depth of their family connection to Pender. Barb will open with a chronological description of the family history on Pend...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and rich history of the W̱SÁNEĆ Saltwater People and their traditional connection to their Salish Sea Homeland including S,DÁYES (South Pender Island). PENÁĆ, is a teacher of SENĆOŦEN language at the ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Tribal School. He will describe how speaking the SENĆOŦEN language and immersion in it, has positively impacted him, and his students...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and rich history of the W̱SÁNEĆ Saltwater People and their traditional connection to their Salish Sea Homeland including S,DÁYES (South Pender Island). Robert Clifford, is a member of the Tsawout First Nation and an Assistant Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC. He will speak about some of his PhD research which explores the w...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and rich history of the W̱SÁNEĆ Saltwater People and their traditional connection to their Salish Sea Homeland including S,DÁYES (South Pender Island). Mavis Underwood, a W̱SÁNEĆ elder, had been working to promote betterment in opportunities for First Nations, and to influence needed social change in the areas of education, human and social dev...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and rich history of the W̱SÁNEĆ Saltwater People and their traditional connection to their Salish Sea Homeland including S,DÁYES (South Pender Island). Eric Pelkey, the Hereditary Chief of Tsawout of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation, will speak about his family's reef net fishery, which existed near Bedwell Harbour on S,DÁYES. He will provide some ancient st...

This series is dedicated to learning about the unique and rich history of the W̱SÁNEĆ Saltwater People and their traditional connection to their Salish Sea Homeland including S,DÁYES (South Pender Island). Earl Claxton Jr., a W̱SÁNEĆ elder, will speak about how he became involved in the ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Tribal School's plant nursery and garden. He will share some of his vast knowledge on native plants...