Honouring Vince Varga for his dedication to Women’s Crisis Services
The following is an excerpt from our CEO, Mary Zilney, who reflects on Vince’s dedication and service to Women’s Crisis Services:
I met Vince Varga in 2008, through an introduction. At that time, we were in the preliminary stages of rebuilding Anselma House, our Kitchener shelter. We were out of space and the community demand was the catalyst to rebuild. Vince came on board and readily assumed the role of Chair of the Building Committee. Engaging in a capital campaign of this magnitude ($8.4 million) was a new experience for me. Vince mentored and coached me through endless experiences from hiring an Architect and construction firm to working through the construction trade tender process and inspecting the building throughout its creation. He was patient throughout our journey together and became known to many as one of our “Wise Men.” Vince spoke at all the events, funding announcements and celebrations, proudly highlighting that a shelter of this caliber was what abused women and their children deserve; a home away from home that contributed to their healing and ability to move beyond violence. He was, and continues to be, an ambassador for the agency and for abused women everywhere. The new Anselma House opened its doors in 2011 and Vince was instrumental in its success; seeing the project through from its inception to completion of construction – all in a volunteer capacity; sharing his expertise and endless hours.
Later in 2011 it was determined that Haven House, the Cambridge shelter also needed to be rebuilt. This again was due to the growing need throughout Waterloo Region. Without blinking an eye, Vince once again stepped to the forefront as a volunteer on the building committee. This project became more complicated. Vince is a professional planner; he took it upon himself to find an ideal piece of vacant land upon which to rebuild Haven House. Through his connection with the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, he found the land but there were several challenges and Vince spent countless months attending to them.
Vince worked relentlessly from fall of 2011 to June 2014 – at which time his unmatchable efforts were realized. Women’s Crisis Services then purchased the land and we are now well on our way to rebuilding Haven House; another multi-million dollar project. As with our previous project, Vince’s commitment includes attending meetings related to construction, design, planning and coordination; attending events, funding announcements and celebrations, and being an ambassador for the agency and abused women and their children. The time commitment is huge; yet Vince never falters in his loyalty to our project.
Vince is our “hero” and the characteristics below define his excellence in volunteerism:
Courage; the first and the foremost quality of a hero is his courage. Vince always confronts any challenge head on.
Virtuosity is the key aspect of a hero’s character. Vince is never foolishly audacious, but rather is always judicious and well skilled to cite and cease the opportunities, which present themselves on the way towards his destination.
Sacrifice is a quality that stands unique from all the other virtues which makes a hero noble. Vince is always willing to cast off the predilections and personal comforts whenever they become indispensable for the welfare of others.
Determination; for a hero the word Impossible always decomposes to yield I am possible. Vince is unflinching in his determination and believes in his ability without the whiff of dubiety.
Focus; being focused is also one of the most prominent qualities of a hero. Vince has never lost focus of what he wants to achieve.
Compassion; a true hero is always empathetic, benevolent and shows a great deal of compassion and tenderness to those ailing or in distress. Vince embraces an attitude that serves others.
Perseverance; this quality is what makes a hero special. Even if Vince encounters failure on his way, he is determined to get over it and fight until he achieves success,withstanding all the barriers that he may encounter in his path.
Dedication; Vince whole-heartedly dedicates himself to the task which is set, and works towards its completion.
Honesty; in all the endeavours that a hero takes up, honesty forms the base of all his efforts. This honesty earns Vince the respect of others and helps lead followers to the desired goal.
Loyalty; Vince is considered to possess fierce loyalties in the sense that he is faithful to whatever tasks he takes up. Commitment to a particular cause has led him way beyond others citing an example for others to follow.
Intrepidity; Vince has a courage that is unshaken despite anything that comes in his path. He is determined to fight challenges with resolute courageousness.
Conviction; Vince has a strong conviction, a set of beliefs, which cannot be altered by any chance.
Fortitude; Vince encounters each deed with a bright spirit that is adopted with passive courage.
Responsibility; whatever be the type of responsibility entailed on Vince, he takes it up with utmost sincerity.
Wisdom is the most desired quality, which a leader must possess. Vince is wise and astute.
Heroes are not born, they are self-made.
What sets Vince apart from others is that he is the perfect embodiment of all of these virtues.
Vince is a kind, modest and generous individual who is fully committed to eradicating violence against women in our community. His efforts have and continue to be unmatched. He is a magnificent role model for boys and men everywhere. We are privileged to have him partner with us for our second capital project.
Thank you Vince, for your service and dedication.