Following Sandy Shindleman's presentation to students at PCI in Portage la Prairie about his success in the business world on Tuesday, he was presented with a framed set of photos by PCI teacher James Kostuchuk. Shindleman shares the theme of the photos.

"Three pictures of my dad and uncle that looked like they were at a Lions Club meeting, all in black and white from the Graphic," he notes. "A photo taken around Christmas time in our grocery store when my father was in the centre; and a photo from a story of the 4-H beef sales at the Portage Fair. That one showed meat hanging in our abattoir."

Kostuchuk says the school's fortunate to have a school archive. He says he thought of the idea after he heard Shindleman would present to the career exploration students. He remembered some some images were in the archive of the Shindleman family. Kostuchuk adds Shindleman had his start in business in Portage la Prairie, and the photos reflect on that.

He notes the photos seemed to really mean something to Shindleman when he received them. Kostuchuk says it was really a coincidence. When they looked at the photos in the archive, it was hard to see how getting a start in the grocery business or cattle buying could lead to Shindleman's current successful and international property manager. However, he says, during Shindleman's speech he spoke of the importance of building relationships. Kostuchuk says the photos tell that very story. One of the images of Jack Shindleman at the Lions event shows the building of relationships with public service groups. He notes the grocery store photo displayed what made those shopping there in the southeast of the city create some good memories of Greenberg's Grocery Store. Kostuchuk says it was the kind of place where the owner/operator was there and bagged groceries as well as helped carry them out to customers' vehicles. He adds the last image showed the beef purchased by the family at the Portage Fair and was taken in the 60's. So, Kostuchuk says, they told the story of the family's businesses in the community.

Shindleman was given a tour of the archive after the presentation, and was given a couple of history books. Kostuchuk adds Shindleman's a gentle soul and is definitely in touch with what happens in Portage la Prairie.