Neighbor to Neighbor

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/

Middle school is a really hard time for kids. Not only are you transitioning from being a child to a young adult, you’re also pumped full of hormones. This transition is exasperated when a student is also dealing with a hard home life. To really help kids who are struggling it often takes a lot of time and one-on-one attention that school districts simply don’t have. That’s where Communities in Schools comes in. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we speak with Ario Salazar, the Executive Director for  Communities in Schools of Whatcom and Skagit Counties.

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.

Most people bunker down when the weather turns south in our area, not Randy Small.

Randy is the founder of Whatcom County Weather.

When there’s wind, rain, and snow, or any other kind of major weather event, you can find Randy smack dab in the middle of it with his camera.

On this is episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Randy Small about how he turned his interest in storm chasing and weather tracking into a full blown weather reporting service with a strong following.

You can learn more about Whatcom County Weather by visiting the Facebook page or the website http://whatcomcountywx.com/?fbclid=IwAR27vAtfPIginOZ0KmIMe0gF0hF6SiJkOXN6hFcK6IKnIB_onyJ95aMW9M8

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/

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/

The United States as a country is relatively young and the West Coast is even younger. Still, there's a lot of history in this area that most people don't know about. For example, did you know that there used to be skirmishes on what is now the US Canadian border between the Russian and the British? Or did you know that there was a gold rush in Canada just north of here? On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor we sit down with Wes Gannaway, the President of the Whatcom Historical Society. 

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.

 

If you’ve ever wanted to do something you’d never done before, it can feel intimidating- especially if you don’t see anyone doing it that looks like you. There’s a non-profit in Bellingham that was formed around this idea. They created programs that welcome women to the world of outdoor recreation and extreme sports. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, we speak with Kari Humphreys, a Co-Founder of the non-profit, Shifting Gears.

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/

There's a funny little thing people say when they're talking about running away and escaping, they say "I'm going to run away to the circus". That's not such a crazy idea in Bellingham because the local circus is run out of a building in Fairhaven. On this episode of Neighbor to Neighbor, host Keith Mader sits down with Bellingham Circus Guild Member, Dream Frohe. 

Learn more about the Bellingham Circus Guild:

http://bellinghamcircusguild.com/

WECU is a credit union based in Bellingham, Washington who serves all who live, work or worship in the state of Washington. As a credit union, WECU doesn't have owners or shareholders, it has members. Since 1936, WECU has always been about providing honest, genuine service, great rates and low fees, and being a committed friend to its local community. Learn more at https://www.wecu.com/.