Neighbor to Neighbor

When the Bellingham Bells are on the diamond, you know it’s summer in Whatcom County. As a member of the West Coast League, the Bells compete in a 57-game season throughout the months of June, July and August. The players, who are all college athletes, play other teams in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Stephanie Morrell, the General Manager for the Bellingham Bells.

On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Pam Borso of the North Cascades Audubon Society.

Every October a day is set aside to celebrate the tremendous work that credit unions and other financial cooperatives are doing around the world . On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Greg Neuman and Mike Reuter from the World Council of Credit Unions about International Credit Union Day and the global credit union movement.

Located in Downtown Bellingham on Bay Street is a unique storefront often overlooked by locals. The Spark Museum contains one of the best collections focused on the topic of electrical invention in the entire country. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Abby Whatley the Director of Programs at the Spark Museum.

Max Higbee Center has been serving people with developmental disabilities in Whatcom County for decades. In this episode, we speak with the Executive Director, Kait Whiteside about the nonprofit, its programs, and its future.

Starting a business is hard. Starting a business during a pandemic is even harder. But when Derek Peris, a veteran, found himself laid off due to the Coronavirus, that’s exactly what he and his wife Debbie did. On this episode of neighbor to neighbor I speak with Derek Peris, the owner and lead roaster at Barnyard Coffee Roasters located in Blaine, Washington. Learn more about Barnyard Coffee Roasters by visiting https://barnyardcoffee.com/

Many small businesses have been impacted by COVID-19. The organizations with their finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the small business community are our local Chambers of Commerce. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Gary Vis, the Director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce.

Drive down West Holly Street in old town Bellingham and on any given day and there’s a good possibility you’ll see a number of homeless people standing outside. These people are there because that’s where the Lighthouse Mission is. My name is Keith Mader and in this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Hans Erchinger-Davis, the Executive Director for The Lighthouse Mission. We’ll discuss a number of things including what the mission is doing to help, why there are so many homeless people in Bellingham, how you can get involved, plus what he suggests you do for panhandlers you see on the side of the road. Since 1923, Lighthouse Mission Ministries has provided shelter, meals, and compassionate services to men, women, and children of Whatcom County in need – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Lighthouse Mission aims to be a consistent friend to people in homelessness. This is done through four distinct programs that come alongside people, wherever they are, to offer hope, give dignity, serve, and support as they undertake the difficult work of leaving homelessness behind. Neighbor to Neighbor is a podcast by WECU, a credit union based in Bellingham, Washington. To learn more about WECU and this podcast visit https://www.wecu.com/category/neighbor-to-neighbor/

In the military, you’re a part of a tribe. You have a community, a clear mission, and a purpose. When you come home, everything changes. This tribe is gone, and you must search for your sense of purpose again. Many veterans, even many years, even decades after leaving the military, suffer from depression, isolation, and alcoholism because of this. Growing Veterans is a non-profit that seeks to do something about this issue in an unconventional way. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Sean Dalgarn, the Communication and Outreach Manager for Growing Veterans.

Downtown Bellingham has seen a renaissance over the last decade. Today it’s more vibrant and full of life than ever before. From the wonderful businesses continue to sprout up left and right, to the exciting community events, and colorful street art… there are a lot of good things happening downtown. The organization that is at the center of it all is the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. My name is Keith Mader and, on this episode, I speak with Marissa McGrath, the Assistant Director of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. Learn more about WECU: https://www.wecu.com/ Learn more about the Downtown Bellingham Partnership: https://www.downtownbellingham.com/

In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Gail Ridenour, Executive Director for the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Formerly known as the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, the Bellingham Symphony consists of over 80 volunteer musicians, including many local music teachers. It performs six season concerts throughout the year at the Mt. Baker Theatre. It also engages in many community outreach programs. In this interview, we discuss all aspects of this robust organization as well as the individual stories of Gail Ridenour and Music Director, Yaniv Attar. Learn more about the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra https://www.bellinghamsymphony.org View their upcoming events https://www.bellinghamsymphony.org/events

Victoria’s dreams were too big for the ponds and lakes of Tennessee. From across the country, Bellingham Bay was calling her home. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Victoria Ayers, the owner of Dragonfly Kayak Tours. Victoria tells how she fell in love with kayaking in the ponds and lakes of Tennessee but, after seeing a photo of Bellingham Bay, she knew it was where she needed to be. She loaded up all of her worldly possessions into her car and moved across the country to a place she had never even visited. In this episode, we speak about her journey to starting her own kayak tour business, overnight kayak camping trips on the San Juan Islands, hidden coves, Victoria's dream kayak adventures, bio-luminescence, and the most magical moment Victoria has ever had on a Kayak.

Many of us have heard scary stories of new home owners dealing with costly and even dangerous home repairs they did not expect. From leaky septic tanks to radon gas, to moldy walls and all the things that freeze in the night, it's a home inspector's job to make sure that those situations don't happen to you. In this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Adam Morvee of Ground Up Inspections. What, on it's surface, may seem like a dry subject is anything but, as Adam shares tidbits and stories from his years of home inspecting.