There is an organization in Saskatoon that works to strengthen the economic and social conditions of our city’s core neighbourhoods. It’s called Quint Development Corporation and it’s an organization full of amazing leaders like Kristen Thoms and Julia McCormick.

Kristen is Quint’s Executive Director and has been with the organization for 18 years. Julia is the Director of Operations with Quint and has called it home for 11 years. Together, they oversee a team that is helping people in the core neighbourhoods find meaningful employment, move into safe and affordable housing, and spark a sense of pride in their neighbourhoods.

How are they doing this you ask?

I found out when Kristen and Julia took for me a walk through neighbourhoods like Riversdale and Pleasant Hill where they showed me the different ways Quint is helping people. We ended our walk in Optimist Park where you will hear the pride Kristen and Julia have in their work and why it means so much to them.

They are both kind and warm people who love helping others and are truly invested in helping people who call the core neighbourhoods home improve their lives in meaningful ways.

I learned so much in this conversation and I know you will too.

You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or on the website: yxeunderground.com

Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

You can follow YXE Underground on social media. Simply search YXE Underground on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also now find YXE Underground on YouTube, which is very exciting and long overdue. Right now, there’s just one thing on the YXE Underground YouTube channel and that’s a video Molly Schikosky and I created with the help of many YXE Underground guests that celebrates six seasons of the podcast and this wonderful city we call home. I am so proud of how it turned out. A huge thanks to Molly for her work in creating it and to all of the guests who took time to help us out.

Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon! I truly appreciate it.

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you!

If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar.

I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig is once again joining us every month for Walking With Lisa episodes.

We've done many several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the seven seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch. This is Lisa's second season on YXE Underground and I am grateful for her support.

Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who now works for Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.

She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us in Season Seven of the podcast.

The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk (or sit down for coffee, ha ha) and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"

In this 'Walking With Lisa' episode, Lisa focuses on how politics are all around us here in Saskatoon. Our community is in the midst of a municipal and provincial election, and with the American election taking place next month, it seems like we can't escape the world of politics these days. Lisa discusses how that is impacting our lives these days and how the act of listening to understand seems to missing in our political conversations. That phrase...Listening to Understand...really stood out to me from our conversation and I hope it gets you thinking about how we listen to one another in our daily lives.

Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

Thanks so much for listening and for supporting a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. And please get out and VOTE!!

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

The ability to slow down, take a deep breath and be present in the moment in something I think most of us take for granted. For Brandon Wicks, developing and growing this ability through yoga has helped him overcome his mental health issues. Now, he and Jen Rondeau are working with the Royal University Hospital’s Adult Mental Health Short Stay Unit to empower patients on their road to recovery.

If you’re looking for Brandon Wicks, there’s a good chance he’s here at Rise Strength Lab. Brandon is not only a personal trainer at the gym but he owns Rise Strength Lab.

Every time I see Brandon at the gym, he has a smile on his face and is talking with staff or members. He’s caring man with a big heart who has battled through some pretty challenging mental health issues in recent years.

You’ll hear Brandon share his personal story in this episode, but there was a point during his story where he needed professional help. In January of 2023, Brandon spent two weeks at the Adult Mental Health Short Stay Unit at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

There was no gym equipment for him to access during his two week stay, but there was a yoga mat! So Brandon would spend an hour every evening on a mat stretching and breathing and trying to ground himself in the present moment. It helped him immensely.

When Brandon left the hospital, he shared his story with Jen Rondeau. Jen is a full time paramedic and also the owner of Ivy Yoga House who has had her own mental health challenges.

Brandon wanted to give the gift of yoga back to the mental health short stay unit, and with Jen’s help, was able to do so earlier this year. The story behind this innovative yoga program is, I think, inspiring and you’ll hear it shared with great emotion by Brandon and Jen.

The program also inspired Jennifer Molloy. She the CEO of the Royal University Hospital Foundation which is now backing the yoga program for an additional two years. So far, the yoga program at the mental health short stay unit has been running one class a week, but thanks to the RUH Foundation’s support, there will be two classes a week starting in 2025.

I want to thank Brandon and Jen for sharing so much in this episode and I know their efforts are truly making a difference in our community.

You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or on the website: yxeunderground.com

Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

You can follow YXE Underground on social media. Simply search YXE Underground on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you for continuing to support a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon. I really do appreciate it!

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you!

If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar.

I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig is once again joining us every month for Walking With Lisa episodes.

We've done many several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the seven seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch. This is Lisa's second season on YXE Underground and I am grateful for her support.

Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who now works for Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.

She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us in Season Seven of the podcast.

The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk (or sit down for coffee, ha ha) and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"

In this 'Walking With Lisa' episode, Lisa reflects on a very busy summer and how fall brings back the joy of routine and schedule. She also shares a fascinating story about a family meeting she had with her husband two young children this summer that set the tone for how they would enjoy the summer months. Lisa's an incredible communicator and this family meeting story really shines a light on the importance of clear and empathetic communication. I know you will take a lot away from this story.

Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

Thanks so much for listening and welcome back to the podcast, Lisa!!

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

Hello and welcome to Season 7 of YXE Underground. I’m your host, Eric Anderson and in this episode, we take listeners to the TCU Stage where the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is preparing for a show!

It’s a celebration of Fleetwood Mac’s career and so the symphony will be performing alongside a rock and roll musicians playing all of Fleetwood Mac’s hits. There is a great energy in the room and that extends out into the lobby where we find Mark Turner.

Mark is the CEO and Creative Producer of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and seems to know everyone in the lobby. He’s shaking hands, having quick chats with people and sharing his enthusiasm for tonight’s show.

Mark has gone through this lobby routine hundreds of times in the past 10 years with the SSO. His leadership and passion for connecting the symphony with different parts of our community has helped make the SSO one of the most successful symphonies in Canada.

I’ve been a fan of Mark’s from afar for many years so it was a thrill to meet him in his office a few weeks ago to talk about his the incredible growth of the SSO and why connecting with diverse communities means so much to him.

We also discuss the challenges of standing out in a very competitive entertainment market and how the symphony could potentially evolve to include more audience participation in shows.

You can listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or on the website: yxeunderground.com

Please feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

You can follow YXE Underground on social media. Simply search YXE Underground on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A big thank you to Saskatoon's Mutt Hutt Grooming for its support of this episode. If your dog or cat needs a haircut, Nikki and her team at the Mutt Hutt is the place to take them! We have been taking our dogs to the Mutt Hutt for more than 10 years and they are an exceptional group of people.

Thank you for listening to this episode and for continuing to support a local, independent podcast in Saskatoon.

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

"It's not enough to have a great Fringe show...You have to sell your show!"

The world of Fringe Festivals is truly fascinating. Artists from around the world work hard all year round writing, performing and promoting their shows at festivals across the world. It's a labour of love and a world that many local artists learn about at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival.

Our city's Fringe Festival is produced by Saskatoon's 25th Street Theatre and its Executive and Artistic Director, Anita Smith, can't wait for it to begin. She takes listeners behind the scenes of this year's festival to highlight some of the amazing artists who will be performing in theatres and as buskers, as well as other events taking place during the 10 days including the Thelma Pepper Art Walk and the Baby Busker Program.

Anita is one of my favourite people in the world and I know her passion for the arts and our community will connect with you! I hope this bonus episode gets you excited for the Fringe and maybe see you at a play...or most likely the Food Trucks:)

Listen and follow YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or the YXE Underground website. Don't forget to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear!

Season Seven of YXE Underground launches in September and I am so grateful for your continued support of this local, independent podcast.

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

Hello, I'm Eric Anderson and welcome to YXE Underground. If you are a long time listener of the podcast, thank you!

If this is your first time listening, welcome. YXE Underground is a local, independent podcast here in Saskatoon that shines a light on people who are doing incredible things but are flying under the radar.

I am so excited that the wonderful Lisa Greig has joined us every month for Walking With Lisa episodes.

In the past few seasons, we've done several episodes focusing on mental health and they have become some of the most listened to episodes in the six seasons of the podcast. It got me thinking that it would be great if we could do a quick mental health check in every month and luckily Lisa said yes to the pitch.

Lisa Greig is a mother of two young children, a social worker who is a few months into a new role with Saskatoon's Rock and Bloom, the author of a best selling children's book entitled 'Scream! Shout! Let's Feel Our Grief Out' and a trusted mental health advocate within our community.

She has a true gift of explaining mental health issues and sharing insights in a clear, honest and compassionate way and I am thrilled that she will be sharing her wisdom with us this season.

The premise of these Walking With Lisa episodes is simple. Lisa and I will go for a walk and I will start our conversation with this question: "What's on your mind, Lisa?"

In this 'Walking With Lisa' episode, Lisa turns her attention to the workplace. She discusses the importance of open and honest communication in a workplace culture and why it is important for organizations to invest time and energy in the well-being of employees. I always learn so much from Lisa but this conversation REALLY struck a chord as I have been doing some coaching exercises at my work recently and I am grateful to be part of an organization that invests in people. I think you'll have so many takeaways from this episode!

These Walking With Lisa episodes will continue next season, which drops in September, and I am grateful to Lisa for sharing her insights and wisdom and especially time with YXE Underground listeners. Listen to YXE Underground wherever you find your favourite podcast including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can Follow YXE Underground on your favourite podcast app so that you won't miss a single Lisa episode and feel free to leave a 5-star review if you like what you hear.

Thanks so much for listening and have a great summer!

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis

I think it takes a lot of courage for anyone to share the challenges, traumas and uncertainties in their life with the rest of the world. What Tennille and Lydia are doing with their mother-daughter memoir, '(Un)Remarkable: How Cancer and Depression Intertwined Our Stories of Grief and Hope' is worth celebrating.

The first time I met Tennille Corbett was in May of 2023 in the Tommy Douglas Collegiate theatre in Saskatoon. She was in the audience, sitting in a special wheelchair called a Broda Chair, about to watch her daughter, Lydia, perform in the school's production of Mamma Mia. Lydia was the lead in the musical and there was no way Tennille was going to miss this show.

A few weeks earlier, Tennille had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometrial cancer and quickly had surgery. The diagnosis sent her on a life-changing path many in our community have travelled in regards to cancer.

It forced Tennille to take a leave from work as she underwent treatment, which meant she had a lot more time with her husband, Shane, her son Aidan, their dog, Remmy, and of course, Lydia. What was she going to do with all of this time?

Write a book of course! This wouldn't be just any type of book. Tennille wanted to write a mother-daughter memoir as she noticed there were very few book like this on the market.

I spoke with Tennille and Lydia in the attic of their home which has been converted into a beautiful space where Tennille writes and soon will be starting her own podcast. I really wanted to know how they were able to make this book happen and so we drill down pretty deep into the process. It's through this process that you will discover how hard but rewarding writing this book was for Tennille and Lydia.

This is the Season Six finale of the podcast and I want to thank you for your continued support of all things YXE Underground. Whether you're listening to and sharing episodes, buying shirts and dog bandanas to raise money for local charities, or leaving reviews of episodes, your support means so much to me. I think we've managed to created a really vibrant little community around this podcast and that's just amazing in my opinion...so thank you!!

I will have a few bonus episodes dropping throughout the summer but mostly I'll be gathering interviews for next season. As always, if you know of someone or perhaps an organization, which is doing great things in our community but is flying under the radar, let me know. Send me an email: ericandersonyxe@gmail.com or reach out through social media or my website.

Have a wonderful summer and we'll talk soon!

Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis