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Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Jeff Vircoe walked into a meeting on February 22nd, 1986, and hasn’t had a drink since. Today he’s president of Forward House - the Parksville-based nonprofit marking 25 years of steady, quiet service to people navigating mental health and addiction recovery. Bonnie Bartlett, Forward House’s public relations director, brings her own lived story to the work. And then there’s Tom Sewid: who identifies the Sayward region, the west coast near Nitinat Lake, and the Tofino area as the most active Sasquatch zones on Vancouver Island, and notes a pattern of increasing activity at the urban edge - including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville.

This Episode Features:

(07:48) Jeff Vircoe and Bonnie Bartlett join the podcast from Forward House, the Parksville-based nonprofit celebrating 25 years of service to adults living with mental health and addiction recovery challenges. Jeff - a Canadian Forces veteran, former journalist, and man in long-term recovery since 1988. He now serves as president of Forward House while working as a counsellor at Edgewood Treatment Centre. Bonnie brings her own family story to her role as marketing and public relations director, speaking candidly about what it means to grow up in a home shaped by alcoholism, and why reducing stigma starts with talking about it openly. They preview the May 23rd Public Education Forum at Knox United Church, featuring Dr. Ian King, one of BC’s top addiction medicine psychiatrists, alongside a panel of local health and community voices. forwardhouse.ca

(31:11) Tom Sewid grew up in Alert Bay and attended high school in Qualicum Beach. Decades as a hunting guide and commercial fisherman along the BC coast gave him something few Sasquatch investigators can claim - a lifetime of direct, close-range encounters. Now based in Washington State, Tom leads guided expeditions is among the most sought-after speakers on the Sasquatch conference circuit. He traces his encounters from a childhood sighting near Campbell River with his father, to a night on Village Island aboard his commercial seine boat when two Sasquatches spent more than an hour visible by spotlight, to a 16-minute, 40-second FLIR video captured on Quadra Island in February - footage that remains among the most compelling thermal recordings on record. Tom studied alongside the late Dr. John Bindernagel for more than 25 years. He notes a pattern of increasing activity including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville. Tom will be speaking at Squatch Watch Vancouver Island.

Episode Quotes:

“I’ve been within five, six feet of a Sasquatch twice. I’ve had them around me well over 30 times through my life, living and working out in the coastal bush of British Columbia.” - Tom Sewid

“If you’re feeling isolated, if you’re feeling scared, pick up the phone and give us a call or pop by our house. We’ve got a wonderful team here that are willing to talk with you. We just want you to know that you’re not alone, and there is hope.” - Bonnie Bartlett

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