17 - Sunday, April 15, 1990 — North Shore News AFFLUENCE INFLUENCE scenic Dundarave? Vise us in Dundarave for a coffee and browse through some magazines and books. Pick up some product knowledge then book your in-home consultation with a helpful consultant. We will he glad to de it at no charge or obligation, pecialized window fashions featuring: B® THE CALIFORNIA SHUTTERS fw LEVOLOR PRODUCTS @ ABBEY PRODUCTS @ TASTEFULLY SELECTED FABRICS CUSTOM DESIGNS & IDEAS B CONSULTANTS WORK WITH YOU Whistler Serving the Lower Mambind - Squamish - Call 922-4668 Fax: 922-4618 2413 Marine Drive, West Vancouver Parking in rear issont.s Store for Lease 1320 Lonsdale ac 13th Street, oh “Lis ~ Cail ye gs to riches THE STORY BEHIND THE MAN WHO GAVE $170M TO CHARITY E GREW up in a ref- ugee camp in India and was forced to sleep on the streets of Delhi. After emigrating to Canada, he worked as a teacher for starvation wages in several areas of B.C., be- fore hitting it big in the real estate business, which eventually made him one of the richest men in Canada. And now, 55-year-old West Vancouver millionaire Stephen Sandar is ready to return to the simple way of life, starting by giv- ing away $170 million in the form of 23 luxury apartment buildings he owns. Last December Sandar, a Sikh who changed his name from Sukhwant Singh when he came to B.C., announced the creation of a new charity called the Conscious- ness International Foundation (CIF), aimed at heiping people in Third World countries. A few weeks ago Sandar, who is also president of Hollyburn Pro- perties Lid, signed over to CLF the tides of the 23 apartment build- ings. The rents from those build- ings will go to fund the charity. After mortgages, the value of the properties comes to ubout $110 million. ft is estimated the charity will receive approximately $f million a year from Sandar’s largesse. Sandar's life is a true rags-to- riches story. After saving and borrowing money, Sandar, who is twice divorced and is currently married to his third wife, Nancy, moved from India to England when ke CLOSING OUT was 22. There he stayed with friends, worked nights washing buses and spent his days going to school. He came to Canada in 1960, after seeing an ad for teachers. He landed in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, where he lived for three months before moving to B.C. In B.C. Sandar worked as a teacher in such locations as Ocean Falls, Trail and Prince Rupert. But money was tight for Sandar, who made an average of $5,000 annual- ly while trying to support his wife and kids. But the turning point for San- dar, who has eight children, came in 1968 when he made his first big real estate deal. A year earlier, Sandar had bought a house for $5,000. Then he traded his house, plus $3,000, for 25 acres of land in Ladner. In 1968 he turned around and sold the property for $25,000. . “fo puc my money in the bank and continued on with my educa- tion. [reinvested every penny,’ said Sandar, sitting in his very modest office overlooking a B.C. Hydro substation in] West) Van- couver, “ET left teaching in) 1973 and in 1975 | boughe this building and we've never looked back since.” Sandar, who has a bachelor of arts degree and a master of science degree, has received world-wide media attention since announcing his plans (o give away his millions. Among the media outlets that paid Sandar a visit were the New See Taxman Page 18 NORTH VANCOUVER STORE fd BQ WESTERN No other discounts apply © No refunds or exchanges + AEE sales tal ne Lauwa Bitygiotti - Fixtures for sale North Vancouver + Personal shopping only