Episodes

  • Duck Paterson Drives an Ambulance to Kyiv & A 9th Trip to Ukraine with Darrell McKay

    Duck Paterson Drives an Ambulance to Kyiv & A 9th Trip to Ukraine with Darrell McKay
    Sep 23 2026
    "Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Two Vancouver Island volunteers, two very different ways of showing up for Ukraine. Duck Paterson, a 75-year-old Ladysmith councillor with 38 years on council, explains why he is driving an ambulance from Munich to Kyiv this October, and Darrell McKay returns after eight trips with an update from the ground and the book he wrote about it. Both guests also share exactly how you can help.This Episode Features:(18:41) Darrell McKay, a retired engineer from Campbell River and author of My Time with Heroes, returns to the podcast after eight volunteer trips to Ukraine delivering humanitarian aid. A year on from our last conversation, he describes a country that is exhausted, with empty shelves starting to show in grocery stores, drones getting through in waves, and real fear that Russia will go after heat and water this winter. His fundraising has climbed to about $220,000, now going toward Starlink units, medical supplies and drone technology, and his book has sold close to 750 copies, with every dollar of profit going to Ukraine. Darrell talks about the evacuation crews and small volunteer groups he has worked alongside. He also shares personal news: he is marrying Olga Buhai followed by a visit with her family in Dnipro and Pavlograd. www.facebook.com/wingnutadventures(05:21) Ladysmith councillor Duck Paterson is 75, has stepped away from council after 38 years, and about to trade the council chamber for the driver’s seat of an ambulance. Duck explains how a newspaper story about a Chemainus volunteer led him to sign up with Ukraine Focus to drive a used ambulance roughly 2,000 kilometres from Munich through Prague, Kraków and Lviv to Kyiv. He walks through the logistics, including travelling in small groups so the convoy is a harder target, in ambulances that cost $10,000 to $15,000 each and arrive loaded with medical supplies, generators and 3D printers for prosthetics. Duck is paying his own way, and shares how you can donate through the Ladysmith and District Credit Union or directly to Ukraine Focus. He also looks back on 38 years on council, including the relationship he helped start with Stz’uminus First Nation, and what he hopes to do next. www.facebook.com/duck.patersonEpisode Quotes:“It’s made me tougher and softer all at the same time. It makes me tough knowing sometimes you have to fight the enemy, but it makes me soft seeing the people that are hurting.” - Darrell McKay, Retired Engineer & Author of My Time with Heroes“After 38 years, if I haven’t screwed it up by now, somebody else better take a shot at it.” - Duck Paterson, Ladysmith Councillor & Ukraine Focus Volunteer DriverThe PULSE Community Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, featuring conversations with musicians, authors, actors, athletes, business leaders and community builders from Vancouver Island, British Columbia and beyond. The PULSE Community Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.LISTEN: We have had the chance to talk to many authors from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Authors page.You’ll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Click here to learn how to Support the show.Episode Sponsors: Thrifty Foods, Tablet Pharmacy & Ian Lindsay & AssociatesCheck out Skookum Kid’s Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter and stay up to date on the latest podcasts, guests and contests.Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.#Ukraine #HumanitarianAid #UkraineFocus #Ladysmith #CampbellRiver #MyTimeWithHeroes #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #VancouverIslandPodcasts #ThePulseCommunityPodcastSupport the show
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    41 mins
  • Dallas Cowboys in Brazil, Week 2 Fantasy Injuries & Smoked Brisket Nachos

    Dallas Cowboys in Brazil, Week 2 Fantasy Injuries & Smoked Brisket Nachos
    Sep 23 2026

    "Send us a text about this episode!"

    BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe for Smoked Brisket Nachos: https://bit.ly/S2EP02FootballRecipe

    This week, Jonathan and Erin turn their attention to the Dallas Cowboys, looking at the team's upcoming international matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil, what to watch for in fantasy football, and the food traditions that make Texas a football destination. They start with a look at Week 2 and the fantasy football storylines taking shape as teams settle into the season. With several quarterback injuries already making an impact, they discuss the importance of having depth on the bench, keeping an eye on player news and figuring out whether those early-season picks are paying off. They also take a closer look at the Cowboys, including quarterback Dak Prescott, his fantasy value and the team's ongoing playoff challenges, and discuss the international growth of the NFL and the passion of Brazilian sports fans as Dallas heads to Brazil to face the Ravens.

    Then it's time to talk about food, and Texas brings plenty to the table. From Texas barbecue and smoked brisket to Tex-Mex, queso, Frito pie and chicken-fried steak, Jonathan and Erin explore the flavours and traditions that shape the Lone Star State's food culture, including the influence of immigrant communities like the Czech origins of kolaches. And of course, no F3 episode would be complete without the F3 Food Pick of the Week: this time, Jonathan puts together a Texas-inspired game-day favourite, Smoked Brisket Nachos, loaded with smoked beef brisket, shredded cheese, black beans, pickled jalapeños, red onions, barbecue sauce, sour cream, cilantro and lime.

    In This Episode

    Quarterback injuries and fantasy roster depth

    Evaluating early-season fantasy picks

    Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff

    Dak Prescott's fantasy football outlook

    The Dallas Cowboys and their playoff challenges

    Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens in Brazil

    Texas barbecue and Southern comfort food

    Looking ahead to Week 3 and the Indianapolis Colts

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

    The F3 Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Erin Haluschak and Chef Jonathan Frazier featuring conversations about NFL Teams and tailgate recipes from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The Football & Food Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!

    Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.

    #F3Podcast, #PulseCommunity, #VancouverIslandPodcast, #NFLFootballPodcast, #FantasyFootball, #DallasCowboys, #TexasBBQ

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    18 mins
  • Dr. Jody Carrington - Kids These Days: A Game Plan for (Re)Connecting

    Dr. Jody Carrington - Kids These Days: A Game Plan for (Re)Connecting
    Sep 23 2026

    "Send us a text about this episode!"

    Dr. Jody Carrington is a child psychologist who believes the answer for kids lies in the big people who hold them. After 15 years of working with vulnerable children and families, from the Alberta Children’s Hospital to speaking stages across the country, she joins Cindy Thompson with warmth, wit and candour.

    At the heart of her message is the lesson she learned from the families she held at the Alberta Children’s Hospital: we are wired to do hard things, and we handle them so much more easily when we remember we are wired for connection. That is why she rarely treats kids and instead supports the big people who hold them, especially when a child has experienced trauma.

    The Resilience Project is a Vancouver Island podcast hosted by counsellor Cindy Thompson, featuring conversations with authors, health professionals, community leaders and everyday people whose stories of resilience, healing and personal growth offer hope, encouragement and practical life lessons. The Resilience Project is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.

    The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

    Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

    You’ll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.

    Episode Sponsor: Thrifty Foods Parksville

    Check out Skookum Kid’s Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!

    Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.

    #JodyCarrington #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #VancouverIslandPodcast

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    43 mins
  • Hunter Dryden's Path to the Victoria Grizzlies & Paul Black's Blues Journey

    Hunter Dryden's Path to the Victoria Grizzlies & Paul Black's Blues Journey
    Sep 16 2026
    "Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: This week we sit down with Victoria blues rock guitarist Paul Black, who traces his path from a gospel and country childhood in Thornhill, BC, through a life-changing Stevie Ray Vaughan concert, to his own soulful cover of Brick House. Then goaltender Hunter Dryden, grandson of hockey legend Ken Dryden, joins us fresh off signing with the Victoria Grizzlies to talk carrying a famous name, controlling momentum in the crease, and what his grandfather was really like at the dinner table.This Episode Features:(26:21) Hunter Dryden is the grandson of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden and the son of Olympic gold medalist Tammy Shewchuk-Dryden. A goaltender in his own right, Hunter just finished three seasons at Taft School in Connecticut, where he became the starting netminder, before signing with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL. On this episode, Hunter talks growing up a New England kid in an entirely Canadian family, the mental side of goaltending he's picked up from his grandfather and father alike, and sharing the Grizzlies' crease with fellow Montreal Canadiens prospect Mikus Vecvanags. www.victoriagrizzlies.com(06:10) Paul Black is a Victoria-based blues rock singer-songwriter whose musical roots started with gospel and country before a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert at Expo 86 changed his direction for good. From his early band Taxi, which landed a spot on the Rocktoria compilation and an eight-out-of-ten review from Rolling Stone, to his acclaimed solo albums Blue Words and Beautiful Sin, Paul's soulful guitar work and songwriting have earned him a Canadian Blues Music Award nod. On this episode, he talks growing up in Thornhill near Terrace, surviving two hand injuries that changed the way he plays guitar, and why his blues-rock cover of Brick House by the Commodores has become such a fan favourite. www.paulblack.caEpisode Quotes:“I really work hard on the lyrics just to make them a little bit different. I want people to listen to it and go, ‘I know what that's about.’”- Paul Black, Blues Rock Singer-Songwriter“If you can earn your teammates' trust and really control the momentum in that way, then that's how you're gonna have the most success.”- Hunter Dryden, Goaltender, Victoria GrizzliesPULSE Community Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, featuring conversations with musicians, authors, actors, athletes, business leaders and community builders from Vancouver Island, British Columbia and beyond. The PULSE Community Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Podcast Index, RSS, TikTok, YouTube and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Episode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates & Thrifty Foods ParksvilleCheck out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter and stay up to date on the latest podcasts, guests and contests.Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.#PaulBlack #HunterDryden #KenDryden #VictoriaGrizzlies #BCHL #VancouverIslandBlues #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcastsSupport the show
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    47 mins
  • NFL Season Opener, Fantasy Lineup Nerves & Game-Day Chicken Wings

    NFL Season Opener, Fantasy Lineup Nerves & Game-Day Chicken Wings
    Sep 16 2026

    "Send us a text about this episode!"

    BONUS RECIPE: Download Chef Jonathan Frazier's Recipe for Game-Day Chicken Wings: https://bit.ly/S2EP01FootballRecipe

    Hosts Erin Haluschak and Chef Jonathan Frazier of the Comox Valley kick off a new NFL season - covering the latest roster moves, the players and teams worth watching, and how to set up a winning fantasy lineup. They weigh the stats, the experts, injury reports, podcasts, websites, social media and even AI, and talk about how to separate the useful stuff from all the noise.

    Then it's time to talk about one of the best parts of football: the food. Erin and Jonathan dig into why food and football go together, from tailgating and sports bars to watching the game at home with friends and family, and how football food is local, with every NFL city bringing its own flavours and traditions. This week's F3 Food Pick of the Week is chicken wings, with Chef Jonathan sharing his tips for crispy wings at home and sauce ideas including Classic Buffalo, BBQ, Honey Mustard, Honey Garlic, Korean-style and Maple Sriracha.

    In This Episode

    Three things happening in the NFL

    Setting your fantasy team

    Where to find reliable fantasy information

    Stats vs. expert opinions

    Injury reports and player news

    Podcasts, websites, social media and AI

    F3 Food Pick: Game-Day Chicken Wings

    What to watch for as the NFL season gets underway

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

    The F3 Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Erin Haluschak and Chef Jonathan Frazier featuring conversations about NFL Teams and tailgate recipes from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The Football & Food Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!

    Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.

    #F3Podcast #PulseCommunity #VancouverIslandPodcast #NFLFootballPodcast #FantasyFootball #GameDayEats #FootballAndFood

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    22 mins
  • Steve Anderson - Your Life Is a Story

    Steve Anderson - Your Life Is a Story
    Sep 16 2026

    "Send us a text about this episode!"

    Why You Should Listen to This Episode

    How many of you can think of one or two key people in your life who had a real impact on you - a coach, a teacher, a family member? Steve Anderson has spent nearly three decades in the classroom being exactly that person for his students, and this episode is about what resilience actually looks like when it's built on community, purpose and positive relationships.

    In this episode:

    Steve Anderson joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about the people and relationships that shape resilience. With over 29 years as a teacher, Steve has spent his career energizing students in his applied psychology program - and building the belief that life is an invitation, not an obligation.

    That same conviction led Steve to create a peer support and human services program in Chilliwack, and it now carries into his work as Executive Director of The Wanted Children Foundation, a child rescue project in Nigeria founded by his eldest daughter, Courtney, supporting orphaned and vulnerable children. Steve's conversation is a reminder that resilience grows when communities invest in each other, and that finding purpose often starts with helping someone else find theirs.

    The Resilience Project is a Vancouver Island podcast hosted by counsellor Cindy Thompson, featuring conversations with authors, health professionals, community leaders and everyday people whose stories of resilience, healing and personal growth offer hope, encouragement and practical life lessons. The Resilience Project is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.

    The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

    Cindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

    Learn more about Steve Anderson: thewantedchildrenfoundation.org

    You'll find all episodes of the PULSE Community Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok and YouTube.

    Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy

    Check out Skookum Kid's Stories with downloadable colouring pages on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube.

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter of new podcast releases and contests!

    Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.

    “Like, Share & Listen!”

    #SteveAnderson #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #WantedChildrenFoundation #parksvillenews #vancouverislandnews

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    48 mins
  • Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope with Darrell Fox & The Port Alberni Toy Run

    Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope with Darrell Fox & The Port Alberni Toy Run
    Sep 9 2026
    "Send us a text about this episode!"Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Season 3 opens with two Vancouver Island stories built on showing up for other people, year after year. Darrell Fox was seventeen when he joined his brother Terry on the road for the 1980 Marathon of Hope, and 46 years on he's still carrying that story forward, now through a documentary built from footage nobody knew existed. Marnie Grimes has spent decades behind the Port Alberni Toy Run, one of Canada's largest community-run toy convoys, and she's got the numbers and the stories to prove what a room full of bikers with a shared cause can do.This Episode Features:(22:11) Darrell Fox, who was just 17 when he joined his brother Terry on the road for the final months of the 1980 Marathon of Hope, marks the September 20th Terry Fox Run by looking back at that first day near Saint John, New Brunswick. With more than $1 billion now raised for cancer research in Terry's name, Darrell talks about the volunteers who keep 600 runs going across the country every year with no staff and no budget, and about a new documentary, Run, Terry, Run, built from 93 reels of never-before-seen footage found in storage after four decades, with a musical contribution from Bryan Adams "Run Terry Run". He also shares news of the 20-year agreement placing the Marathon of Hope archive in the care of the Royal BC Museum. Run, Terry, Run opens in Cineplex theatres October 9th. www.terryfox.org(05:16) Marnie Grimes, longtime spokesperson and now chairperson of the Port Alberni Toy Run, opens Season 3. Now in its 42nd year, the Toy Run began with eight riders in 1984 and has grown into one of Canada's largest community-run toy convoys, raising more than $3 million in cash plus a comparable value in toys, hampers, and equipment for the Alberni Valley. Marnie talks about the event's biker-party beginnings, the record-chasing 25th-anniversary run of 1,463 registered bikes, and the $19,000 she signed back to School District 70 for music, culinary, and outdoor-living programs. She also touches on the growing number of women riders, the new Battle of the Bands youth showcase joining Saturday night's dance, and where to set up along the Port Alberni route to watch the procession go by. www.portalbernitoyrun.caEpisode Quotes:"We can set our goals high, each and every one of us. The only thing limiting us is our ability to try." - Darrell Fox, Brother of Terry Fox, Terry Fox Foundation"There is nobody that does it better than Toy Run." - Marnie Grimes, Chairperson, Port Alberni Toy RunThe PULSE Community Podcast is a weekly Vancouver Island podcast hosted by Peter McCully and Dave Graham, featuring conversations with musicians, authors, actors, athletes, business leaders and community builders from Vancouver Island, British Columbia and beyond. The PULSE Community Podcast is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok and YouTube and ThePulseCommunity.ca.Click here to learn how to Support the show.Episode Sponsors: Thrifty Foods Parksville, Tablet Pharmacy & Ian Lindsay & Associates.Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, and YouTube.Sign up for our weekly newsletter and stay up to date on the latest podcasts, guests and contests.Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.#DarrellFox #TerryFox #TerryFoxRun #MarnieGrimes #PortAlberniToyRun #VancouverIsland #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #VancouverIslandPodcast #ParksvilleNews #VancouverIslandNews #PortAlberni #MarathonOfHopeSupport the show
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    45 mins
  • True Lies - with Arnold's Real-Life Stunt Double Peter Kent of Qualicum Beach

    True Lies - with Arnold's Real-Life Stunt Double Peter Kent of Qualicum Beach
    Sep 9 2026

    "Send us a text about this episode!"

    Peter Kent of Qualicum Beach joined hosts Olen Vanderleeden and Matthew Stockton, along with panelists Sean, Anthony and Nicole, to unpack James Cameron’s 1994 spy-comedy blockbuster True Lies.

    True Lies stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold and Bill Paxton as a secret agent who has spent years hiding his real job from his wife, only to discover she may be having an affair with a used car salesman while he is busy stopping nuclear terrorists from smuggling warheads into the United States.

    The real highlight was Peter Kent’s behind-the-scenes stories. He described getting discovered by James Cameron on the set of the original Terminator after moving to LA with $1,800 in his pocket, training with circus performer Bob Yerkes, and spending 14 years training alongside Arnold at the gym every morning. On True Lies specifically, Peter flew to Miami on a moment’s notice after a falling-out with the stunt coordinator, then spent nearly four months in the Florida Keys playing multiple bad guys, driving the flaming truck through the freeway chase, and diving off a dock into a harbor seconds before a real fuel truck detonated - with a barracuda swimming below him.

    True Lies was the third highest-grossing film of 1994, pulling in $378 million worldwide on a $115 million budget, and Jamie Lee Curtis won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy for her role.

    “I don’t think people watch a movie like this and appreciate what goes into it, especially the stunt work.” - Olen Vanderleeden

    Too Old or Movie Gold is a Vancouver Island movie podcast hosted by Olen Vanderleeden, where classic films meet modern audiences through conversations about timeless movies, memorable performances and the stories behind some of cinema’s greatest productions. Too Old or Movie Gold is part of The PULSE Podcast Community.

    Text us about this episode

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    You’ll find all episodes of The Too Old or Movie Gold Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca

    Click here to learn how to support the show.

    Sponsor for this episode is Fireside Books.

    Check out The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart and YouTube podcasts, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter of the latest podcasts and contests: thepulsecommunity.ca/newsletter-signup

    Check out the Vancouver Island Podcast Directory: The Vancouver Island Podcast Directory is a free public resource curated by The PULSE Community, helping listeners discover podcasts produced on Vancouver Island and the surrounding coastal islands.

    #TooOldOrMovieGold #TrueLies1994 #MoviePodcast #ArnoldSchwarzenegger #PeterKent #ThePulsePodcast #ThePulseCommunity #VancouverIslandPodcasts

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    1 hr and 17 mins