In their more than 51 years of marriage, Sheila and Al Linder have faced their share of life's challenges together, taken great pride in their children and grandchildren, worked on behalf of their community, and generally have enjoyed a good and rewarding life.

Sheila (nee Silverman) was born in Winnipeg on May 27, 1934, arriving a month early on the wedding anniversary of her parents, Dolly (nee Rossen) and Isadora Silverman.

Sheila's mother was quite outgoing while her father was more reserved. Dolly was an accomplished pianist and loved to play whereas Isadore was athletic and a proficient bowler. They both enjoyed dancing.

Sheila and her siblings, Rita Shapira-Jacob and Gerald Silverman, all grew up in the north end in an environment of Jewish tradition where family, friends, and community organizations were very important. Sheila recalls visiting her grandparents every Sunday.

Sheila attended school at Machray, Luxton and St. John's Tech and although they were at the same schools at the same time, Sheila and Al were unaware of each other during that time.

Sheila and Al met at a Purim dance when she was 16, and Al was 17. They were married on December 26,1953. In the early years, Sheila pursued a secretarial career, eventually leaving work when their first child, Faith, arrived. Two other children, Nadine and Marshall soon followed.

Sheila's community works have included involvement with the Manitoba Association of Learning Disabilities, special education volunteering in Winnipeg public schools, and serving as a friendly caller for Jewish Child and Family Service. She has also been a member of NCJW and B'nai Brith, and is a life member of Na'amat and Hadassah.

Al was born on June 19, 1933. His parents, Phil and Ida Linder (nee Nathanson), maintained a secular home in which Jewish culture and education, family relationships and friends were very important.

Al spent most of his growing years on Inkster Boulevard, attended Champlain, Machray and Luxton schools, and St. John's Tech, as well as the I.L. Peretz night school. After graduating from high-school, Al worked for a time at two of the city's Jewish newspapers before joining his father-in-law in opening a scrap metal yard, Western Scrap Metal Ltd., where they worked together until Mr. Silverman's retirement in 1972. Now, after almost 50 years, the last 20 of them with son-in-law, Hartley Kaplan, the business has developed into the most diverse recycling operation in Manitoba.

Today Sheila and Al are most appreciative of the fact that their children and grandchildren, Adam and Yael Kaplan and Hadera and Jeremy Short, live in Winnipeg. Their son Marshall, resides in Alberta. They are also proud that Faith and Nadine are so involved in the Jewish community.

To have had the opportunity to grow up in a vibrant, progressive Jewish community here in Winnipeg surrounded by family and friends, to have been blessed from childhood through late adulthood with the company of their parents, to have received so much nachus from their children and grandchildren, and to have been rewarded for a lifetime of effort at home and in business - life has given Sheila and Al much for which to be thankful.