Off Script

There’s something about a suit and how it commands respect and power. Being dressed for success can make a world of difference. It’s that sentiment that moved a Calgary police officer to go beyond the call of duty and collect hundreds of gently used suits from his policing colleagues. The suits are destined for men who have overcome homelessness and addictions and they’re also being gifted to newcomers, men who come to this country with very little. Episode 20, "Suit Up," drops Friday, July 20 on podcast. Or tune in to 770 CHQR on Saturday, July 21 at 5 and 11a.m., Sunday, July 22 at 5a.m., 11a.m. and 5p.m. You can also stream the show on 770CHQR.ca.

In the face of tragedy, families search for ways to honor and pay tribute to their loved ones. In this episode we hear from two parents who suffered the heartbreak of losing their children, and how they found a way out of the darkness to give so much of themselves and give others a chance at a future their kids will never have. The legacy of Kaiti Perras was an accomplished dancer and Josh Hunter a talented musician. On this episode of "Music Box": how their families are providing artistic opportunities for young men and women inspiring them to follow their path.

In the face of tragedy, families search for ways to honor and pay tribute to their loved ones. In this episode we hear from two parents who suffered the heartbreak of losing their children, and how they found a way out of the darkness to give so much of themselves and give others a chance at a future their kids will never have. The legacy of Kaiti Perras was an accomplished dancer and Josh Hunter a talented musician. On this episode of "Music Box": how their families are providing artistic opportunities for young men and women inspiring them to follow their path. Episode 19, "Music Box," podcast drops on Friday, July 6. Or tune in to 770 CHQR on Sunday, July 8 at 11am and 5pm MT. You can also stream the show on 770CHQR.ca.

Graduation day is a momentous occasion for anyone. A symbol of accomplishment and pride, marking the end of a 12 grade journey.  But a Calgary graduate from Bowness High wanted to make this day unforgettable for all his fellow Trojans. His high school diploma acceptance had the entire auditorium on their feet, tears streaming down their faces. The teenager had been keeping a secret from them for months, and he was ready to reveal something remarkable.

Graduation day is a momentous occasion for anyone. A symbol of accomplishment and pride, marking the end of a 12 grade journey.  But a Calgary graduate from Bowness High wanted to make this day unforgettable for all his fellow Trojans. His high school diploma acceptance had the entire auditorium on their feet, tears streaming down their faces. The teenager had been keeping a secret from them for months, and he was ready to reveal something remarkable. Episode 18, "The Trojan Horse," podcast drops on Friday, June 22. Or tune in to 770 CHQR on Sunday, June 24 at 11am and 5pm MT. You can also stream the show on 770CHQR.ca.

Hosts Jill Croteau & Nate Luit explain what "Off Script" is, how it's made, where the inspirations come from, and what you can expect in every episode. If you like what you hear, please take a minute to rate, subscribe, and share the Off Script podcast, so we can share more stories from in and around Calgary.

It’s a very unique program that defies the age gap… an opportunity to span generations. A University program pairs students with seniors living in a retirement home. The students wind up learning more about life than they ever would in a classroom. The concept is to chronicle the senior’s lives and write their story. We meet one student who was so overwhelmed by the experience…she moved in.

It’s a brave and courageous step into the spotlight. People in the LGBTQ community will be sharing their experiences of how their identity and faith collide. They perform in front of a church congregation. For the religiously devout they may see this as a contradiction – but The Coming Out in Faith Monologue explores how the two can exist together.

A unique program in Calgary is using music to help people with spinal cord injuries and those living with neurological conditions. Music therapy is being used to stimulate their senses and they’re recovery back to a life they thought was lost forever. The music is feeding their soul, their mind and their body.

They might be the most unlikely group to round up donated graduation dresses, but that’s why what they’re doing is so profound. On the next episode of Off Script, we meet these pre-teen and 20-something young men who spend most of their time on a board and four wheels, plunging down ramps and balancing on edges. But these skateboarders are doing something “pretty gnarly." They’re bringing a couple hundred ball gowns to deserving young girls in Mexico.

How do you face a world that doesn’t really know how to face you back? People born with facial differences navigate life feeling “not so ordinary.” Some spend their life hiding. But Wonder, an inspiring Hollywood movie based on a best-selling book, has motivated Calgary families to come out of the shadows and reveal their own stories. On this episode of Off Script, Nate and Jill explore stories of how people who were born a little bit different can teach others about kindness and acceptance.

On the one-year anniversary of Off Script, Nate and Jill decided it was time to update what’s changed with some of the people profiled. So much has happened. A death, a birth, a pregnancy and the rebirth of the human spirit.

It’s a dark chapter in Canadian history that’s rarely talked about. Over three decades, Indigenous children were apprehended from their homes on reserves and placed into the care of non-Indigenous foster families. Many endured physical, sexual and emotional abuse. What resulted was a generation of children who felt isolated and stripped of their identities. But now they’re starting to reclaim their purpose, fighting for an acknowledgment of the sad legacy of the Sixties Scoop.

To be surrounded by family and friends and the comforts of home, is what most people crave during the holidays. But, what if you didn’t have all those things? A Calgary-based charity, Make It Merry, created an idea to give something very simple to those who already have so little. She recruits strangers to sign Christmas cards and she and her team deliver them to the homeless. In doing so, she discovered something that doesn’t cost a thing can bring someone else richness beyond words.

Families young and old have been slowly vacating the Midfield Mobile Home Park. An eviction notice informed them they had to be out by Sept. 30. But a handful remain clinging to the hope of a looming court date that may give them hope. This month’s Global News Off Script episode “Midfield of Dreams” explores how those impacted are coping. Those who are staying and those who left are sharing their stories.

Bad choices can cause irreparable loss, remorse, and regret. But convicts serving time behind bars are finding a sense of salvation by connecting with strangers on the outside. On this episode of Global News Off Script, Jill Croteau and Nate Luit profile a program that links prisoners to volunteer pen pals.

With a country in the midst of an opioid crisis, desperate parents are doing all they can to keep their addicted kids clean and sober. One Calgary mom has created a program that parallels addiction. She’s guiding her own teenage daughter, and other youth in recovery, to train for the race of their lives. They tackle grueling triathlons while fighting their addiction demons and soon start to discover a potential that nobody thought they were capable of.

For decades the adoption process was shrouded in secrecy and shame – often leaving a child on a desperate search for their biological family. But the concept of “open adoption” allows birth moms to not only choose parents for their unborn babies, but remain in their lives. Mothers who choose open adoption don’t ever lose a child, instead they gain a family.

They became accidental role models to an entire generation living on a native reserve. A punk band from Siksika is breaking down barriers and stereotypes and these 4 young men are inspiring youth to follow their dreams. They’re proof of what can happen when you find healthy distractions and resist falling into the trappings of addiction and crime.

When you say, Make a Wish, you think of young kids piling on a plane to Disneyland for a once in a lifetime experience. Off Script puts a fresh twist on the idea of how we all want our dream fulfilled....