MIKE AND LINDA SHAIKH: PHILANTHROPISTS

When Mike and Linda Shaikh were honoured with a Lifetime Philanthropic Award at the Generosity of Spirit ceremony, they accepted it . . . but not without initial reservations.

“We really didn't want to be exposed that way,” said Mike Shaikh. "We didn't want to trump our givings. However, we were convinced by the Public Library Foundation that if we let them trump our name it may entice others, inspire others, and it did help. They had a couple of big donations come out of that. We did that only for that purpose.”

Their $1-million gift to the central library, which will establish the Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery at the new downtown location, is just one of several endowments and bursaries the Shaikhs frequently dole out to various city organizations — including the Alberta Children's Hospital and the University of Calgary.

“We have one common theme in our giving, and that's education,” he said. "We are promoting education. We feel that means empowering people. It means teaching them to fish instead of giving them fish. In many ways, whether small or big, it always has been an education aspect."

With three daughters and seven grandchildren, donations are always made in the name of the family.

“It is very important to us because we are in one family unit and we brought up our children exactly that way,” said Mike Shaikh, the past-chair of the Calgary police commission and a senatorin-waiting. "It's us together. That concept we instilled in them when they were quite young, and it has paid off because now they all consider our resources ours, not mine or yours.”

Originally from Pakistan, Mike Shaikh came to Calgary more than 42 years ago while in his 20s, married Linda and feels blessed to be here.

“We want to make Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the strongest,” he said. “When you have been given a lot, you want to share. You want to make sure you're giving to places that have a long-lasting impact.”