"I had a cake and everything. It said '50 and counting' on it. I told the post office I am going to go for another 50," said the 70-year-old Costinak, who started as a permanent employee with Canada Post in Brandon, Manitoba, on October 1, 1959.
Before that he worked as an on-call worker for a number of years. When he first started with the company, as a bag boy, he earned $1.04 an hour.
"I was a bag boy and cleaned up all the mess and was low on the totem pole - but it was a job," Costinak said with a laugh.
Since then, he has seen and done it all with Canada Post working as a clerk, letter carrier, supervisor, postmaster, station manager, area superintendent and after retiring came back as a rural route driver and continues in that role as an RSMC (rural suburban mail courier).
During his time as a letter carrier in Manitoba, Costinak said he "walked 289,000 miles" (he recorded the distance himself).
The walking has kept him feeling young and looking fit. He said he still fits in his original uniform.
"You got fresh air, sunshine and can run or walk - whatever you want to do. It's really healthy," he said.
There was a bump in the road on his way to 50 years, as he got to 32* and figured it was time to retire.
It turned out that retirement didn't agree with Costinak. His wife could attest to that.
"My wife said 'you are getting edgy, you should go and find yourself a part-time job because you are going bananas,' " Costinak recalled.
His job with Canada Post has also allowed Costinak to see - and live in - different parts of the country.
In the early 1970s he had the choice to go to Eastern or Western Canada. He chose Vancouver and started working there in 1971.
He worked his way up to middle management in Vancouver before transferring to Abbotsford, where they lived and continue to live.
Since then, he has worked in Maple Ridge before coming back to Abbotsford.
He starts his day at 5:30 a.m. and works a full 7*-hour shift.
Costinak and wife Shirley have two children, sons Derwyn and Jason.
The couple has two grandchildren from Derwyn and his wife Wanda - the grandchildren are Andrew, 8, and Laurenne, 10.
While Costinak feels great and has the energy to keep helping people get their mail for years to come, he chooses not to look to far ahead.
"I am just going, as they say, one day at a time now." [rc]
© Abbotsford Times 2009
October 10, 2009
CANADA: Longevity is what this postman has delivered for past 50 years
.
ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia / The Abbotsford Times / October 9, 2009
Longevity is what this postman has delivered for past 50 years
By Paul Fontaine, The Times
Abbotsford's James Costinak has seen Canada Post from every possible level.
The longtime employee celebrated his 50th year with the company last week and said he has no intention of stopping.
"I had a cake and everything. It said '50 and counting' on it. I told the post office I am going to go for another 50," said the 70-year-old Costinak, who started as a permanent employee with Canada Post in Brandon, Manitoba, on October 1, 1959.
Before that he worked as an on-call worker for a number of years. When he first started with the company, as a bag boy, he earned $1.04 an hour.
"I was a bag boy and cleaned up all the mess and was low on the totem pole - but it was a job," Costinak said with a laugh.
Since then, he has seen and done it all with Canada Post working as a clerk, letter carrier, supervisor, postmaster, station manager, area superintendent and after retiring came back as a rural route driver and continues in that role as an RSMC (rural suburban mail courier).
During his time as a letter carrier in Manitoba, Costinak said he "walked 289,000 miles" (he recorded the distance himself).
The walking has kept him feeling young and looking fit. He said he still fits in his original uniform.
"You got fresh air, sunshine and can run or walk - whatever you want to do. It's really healthy," he said.
There was a bump in the road on his way to 50 years, as he got to 32* and figured it was time to retire.
It turned out that retirement didn't agree with Costinak. His wife could attest to that.
"My wife said 'you are getting edgy, you should go and find yourself a part-time job because you are going bananas,' " Costinak recalled.
His job with Canada Post has also allowed Costinak to see - and live in - different parts of the country.
In the early 1970s he had the choice to go to Eastern or Western Canada. He chose Vancouver and started working there in 1971.
He worked his way up to middle management in Vancouver before transferring to Abbotsford, where they lived and continue to live.
Since then, he has worked in Maple Ridge before coming back to Abbotsford.
He starts his day at 5:30 a.m. and works a full 7*-hour shift.
Costinak and wife Shirley have two children, sons Derwyn and Jason.
The couple has two grandchildren from Derwyn and his wife Wanda - the grandchildren are Andrew, 8, and Laurenne, 10.
While Costinak feels great and has the energy to keep helping people get their mail for years to come, he chooses not to look to far ahead.
"I am just going, as they say, one day at a time now." [rc]
© Abbotsford Times 2009
"I had a cake and everything. It said '50 and counting' on it. I told the post office I am going to go for another 50," said the 70-year-old Costinak, who started as a permanent employee with Canada Post in Brandon, Manitoba, on October 1, 1959.
Before that he worked as an on-call worker for a number of years. When he first started with the company, as a bag boy, he earned $1.04 an hour.
"I was a bag boy and cleaned up all the mess and was low on the totem pole - but it was a job," Costinak said with a laugh.
Since then, he has seen and done it all with Canada Post working as a clerk, letter carrier, supervisor, postmaster, station manager, area superintendent and after retiring came back as a rural route driver and continues in that role as an RSMC (rural suburban mail courier).
During his time as a letter carrier in Manitoba, Costinak said he "walked 289,000 miles" (he recorded the distance himself).
The walking has kept him feeling young and looking fit. He said he still fits in his original uniform.
"You got fresh air, sunshine and can run or walk - whatever you want to do. It's really healthy," he said.
There was a bump in the road on his way to 50 years, as he got to 32* and figured it was time to retire.
It turned out that retirement didn't agree with Costinak. His wife could attest to that.
"My wife said 'you are getting edgy, you should go and find yourself a part-time job because you are going bananas,' " Costinak recalled.
His job with Canada Post has also allowed Costinak to see - and live in - different parts of the country.
In the early 1970s he had the choice to go to Eastern or Western Canada. He chose Vancouver and started working there in 1971.
He worked his way up to middle management in Vancouver before transferring to Abbotsford, where they lived and continue to live.
Since then, he has worked in Maple Ridge before coming back to Abbotsford.
He starts his day at 5:30 a.m. and works a full 7*-hour shift.
Costinak and wife Shirley have two children, sons Derwyn and Jason.
The couple has two grandchildren from Derwyn and his wife Wanda - the grandchildren are Andrew, 8, and Laurenne, 10.
While Costinak feels great and has the energy to keep helping people get their mail for years to come, he chooses not to look to far ahead.
"I am just going, as they say, one day at a time now." [rc]
© Abbotsford Times 2009
