Meeting Place

ERIC GOGGIN

Eric was born in Moncton, N.B., and grew up in the village of Salisbury along the Petitcodiac River. After high school he attended Holland College in P.E.I., where he studied graphic design. In 1994, Goggin Signs & Graphics opened in Salisbury. He and his wife Sharon have two children, Gabrielle and Brodie, and summers are mostly spent on their boat on the Saint John River. Along with flying his drone and capturing views from above—check out A Unique Perspective on page 8—Eric enjoys painting when time permits. In fall, the family enjoys riding ATVS along the Fundy coast from their camp atop Boyd Mountain in Elgin, N.B.

ANDREW STADNYK

Born on the Prairies, Andrew’s interest in birdwatching began when he spotted a wood duck in Winnipeg. As a graduate student at Mcmaster University, he enjoyed the plentiful birdlife in Ontario. After moving around and raising a family, he’s now an empty-nester living in Nova Scotia with time to return to his hobby. His interest in bird photography was triggered when a beautiful indigo bunting spent two days in his yard. Finding it difficult to rely on memory alone to recall his birding encounters, his photographs bring him back to specific occasions. Enjoy Andrew’s spectacular photos in Flocks of Fun on page 40.

CATHERINE LAFRANCE

A native Montrealer, Catherine studied at University of Montreal and became a journalist, working in radio and television. In 2007, she went back to school and earned a degree in writing. She soon headed to Yellowknife, where she wrote her first novel, an experience she recounts in Showcase on page 16. She now divides her time between Montreal and Toronto, where she is a news anchor for Radio-canada. Catherine has published three French-language novels about the North to date—no. 4 is on its way! Look for them at librairie.lapresse.ca/livres/saison-froide-1222.html and editionsdruide.com.

NOMI WHALEN

Born and raised in Vancouver, Nomi attended University of British Columbia and went on to teach English and physical education in New Westminster, B.C. Moving to Alberta in the late 1950s, she taught junior and senior high school in Calgary and, in the 1960s, opened the first fitness facility for women in Western Canada. She also served as a Calgary city councilor and wrote three books. An active marriage commissioner, she has wed more than 6,000 couples. Married to popular broadcaster Ed Whalen—the voice of Stampede Wrestling—who is now deceased, Nomi has five children and resides in Canmore, Alta., where she “collects collections“of incredible stuff. See her Collectors story on page 18.