Airdrie Inside

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, host Britton Ledingham sits down with Dr. Vladimir Tadić — a production animal veterinarian with Fen Vet — in Robert DeWitt's garage, to talk about the side of agriculture most people never see.

Dr. Tadić was rejected from vet school three times before finally getting in. The son of first-generation immigrants from the former Yugoslavia, he grew up in Edmonton before his family bought a farm south of the city — a decision he pushed for, chasing roots he'd only tasted during summers back in Europe making plum brandy with his grandmother. Today, he's building a new practice with his mentor Dr. Cody Creelman of Fen Vet, serving the cattle, sheep, dairy, and goat producers who keep Airdrie fed.

This conversation goes beyond the clinic: the immigrant work ethic that shaped him, why he sees himself as "part veterinarian, part therapist" for farmers who have no one else to talk to, and the uncomfortable truth about where food actually comes from. Dr. Tadić makes the case for why rural veterinary medicine needs more young people to say yes, and why nobody should be afraid to ask questions.

Airdrie Inside is a series documenting the people building this city's story — one conversation at a time.

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, host Britton Ledingham sits down with Robert "Robbie" DeWitt — a lifelong Airdrie resident, business development manager by day, and third-generation builder by night — inside his home garage.

The DeWitt family has lived in Airdrie for nearly 100 years. Their name is on a pond. Their land became the Airdrie rodeo grounds. And when Robbie's uncle spotted a familiar name painted on a rusted-out farm truck for sale on Facebook Marketplace, it kicked off a three-year restoration project that would reconnect three generations of DeWitt men.

This isn't a car show. It's a conversation about legacy, patience, and why starting before you're ready is the only way anything ever gets built — a truck, a Mustang, a business, a family. Robbie shares the real story behind the bullet hole in the hood, rebuilding a 454 engine with zero experience, and what he hopes his own two sons take from watching him work.

Airdrie Inside is a series documenting the people building this city's story — one garage, one conversation, one family at a time.

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Caleb Gatcke, a local musician and salsa dancer who is moving the needle on community connection. Caleb. After finding healing and connection through the rhythms of Cuba and Mexico during a "rough period," Caleb returned to his Airdrie roots with a specific mission: to start salsa socials that turn "new neighbours" into a community. From the piano on his family’s front step to his book of entries that captures the wisdom of strangers across the globe, Caleb is framing a solution to the isolation of the modern world.

"I found it to just be such a new experience for me... and it really caught my interest seeing people connect like that, because that’s exactly what I needed at the time." — Caleb Gatcke

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Britton Ledingham sits down with Albert DeWitt. Albert isn’t just a witness to Airdrie’s history; he is the architecture of it. From starting school in a one-room classroom in 1949 to the "kick in the ass" of taking over the family farm at 19, Albert’s story is a lesson in tenacious stewardship. He shares the raw truth about the 15 minutes he spent dead after a heart attack, the 50-year mystery of his father’s 1947 GMC truck, and the real reason a local landmark is named DeWitt’s Pond.

Albert’s message to the next generation worth hearing: "Count the days... because they could be short."

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Robyn Pearson, founder of A Friend Indeed. With a background in graphic design, Robyn recognized a gap in the social infrastructure of Airdrie. She didn't build a nursing agency; she built a "people business" that restores continuity and reliability to families navigating the aging process. From helping a son find peace while his mother battles dementia to ensuring seniors keep "the dirt under their fingernails," Robyn is moving the needle on what it means to age with dignity in our community.

"We bring back a level of continuity and reliability in life that is so needed. We find out: is there something that for whatever reason isn't in their life now? How could we bring back, even if it's just the essence of it?" — Robyn Pearson

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Berlyn McKay, the 16-year-old race car driver taking the Midwest and Florida by storm. Berlyn’s story is a masterclass in resilience. From crying in her first race car at 11 to acing Grade 12 mechanics as a sophomore, Berlyn has spent her life framing a solution to the limits others placed on her. Whether she is navigating a car on fire or fighting for a podium finish against adults, Berlyn is moving the needle on what it means to be a powerhouse in Airdrie.

"My dad comes over the radio... he was like Berlyn, the car is on fire. You need to get out. I get my belts unbuckled... and I can't get the hose off. The track is still hot. My anxiety is going to tell me all the wrong things... and I just kind of brush it aside." — Berlyn McKay

Follow Airdrie Inside: airdrieinside.ca 

Follow Berlyn’s Journey on TikTok: @berlynmckay1 

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 In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Amanda Williams, founder of Sweet Williams Co. Amanda’s story is a masterclass in the Decisive pivot. After a career with the Calgary Flames and Stage West was disrupted by the global shutdown, she returned to her Airdrie roots to build a business that stands for family and community. From building live on Instagram in her basement to opening a physical storefront and hosting the "Sweet Entrepreneurs" networking group, Amanda is moving the needle on what it means to lead as a woman in business today.See the full episode here:

https://www.airdrieinside.ca/episodes

And also make sure to subscribe to our feed on the following links:

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2oSq4nMUmsKBgWD2VAgwoW?si=8a9d8681f02b4248

Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/airdrie-inside/id1789428389

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Kimwell and Grace del Rosario. Their story is a masterclass in leadership. When they saw Airdrie Christian Academy lacked a music program, they didn't just apply for a job—they submitted a proposal to build one from the ground up. From their roots in the musical families of Manila to starting a strings revolution in Airdrie, Kimwell and Grace are moving the needle on what it means to belong and flourish in our community.

"The opportunity to start a program from ground up for teaching music... oh, my goodness. That was an opportunity of a lifetime. We experienced that beyond music... it’s a paying forward." — Kimwell del Rosario

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Dr. Phillip Hoffmann, co-chair and vice president of the Airdrie Food Bank and a pillar of the city’s volunteer sector. Phillip’s story is a masterclass in the caregiver archetype. From his roots in Australia to leading the transition of the Airdrie Public Library, he’s moving the needle by proving that a society's true measure is how it treats its neighbours.

"The measure of a society... is not how well we take care of millionaires and billionaires, but it's how well we take care of people like that guy with those two boys. In life, we're all good until we're not good." — Dr. Phillip Hoffmann

Support the Airdrie Food Bank: airdriefoodbank.com 

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In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Darby Beeson—Team Canada NextGen speed skater and clubfoot ambassador. Darby’s story is a masterclass in resilience. Born with a clubfoot and told by doctors she might never walk, Darby didn't just learn to run, she learned to fly on ice. From the gritty days of "Roller Darby" to training alongside Olympians, she has spent her life framing a solution to the physical and mental barriers placed in her way. Now, even a 100-metre fall down a mountainside and a broken ankle can't stop her mission for the 2030 Games.

"It's not about what you're doing when you're ten. It's about if you want that sport and if you love it and keep training in it... I don't believe there's any barriers of anyone saying anything that can stop you from being successful." — Darby Beeson

Follow Darby Beeson: https://speedskating.ca/athletes/darby-beeson/ 

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