To Victoria Villanen, caring is the key to making people give.
Her caring was why the server at Wild Wing Barrie figures she was able to single-handedly raise $1,100 during October's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
"A really close friend of mine passed away from cancer over a year ago and that really affected me a lot," said Villanen, 25, of Barrie.
"I remember him speaking about Gilda's Club. I didn't really know much about it."
Her friend passed away quickly before he had a chance to visit Gilda's Club and Villanen now realizes people are hesitant to take that step and reach out for help.
"It was very hard on me and all our close friends and his twin brother. Just knowing that there's a support system like Gilda's, just being able to help anybody makes me feel better."
When the Wild Wing owners approached staff about raising money for Gilda's Club Simcoe Muskoka, Villanen was on board and wound up making a fifth of the $5,500 raised at the two Wild Wing restaurants in Barrie.
Her total even surprised her.
"I knew every day I was really passionate about it. I think when you're really passionate about something and you can talk about why you're passionate about it and why it's helping people, I think then people will donate," said Villanen.
Not everyone was willing to participate in the fundraiser but Villanen said she made her point.
"I had a lot of people say no because ' I donate in my own way' or 'I don't support cancer research' and I'd say no take a listen to what your money is going to instead of just saying no."
And if they declined?
"I would say 'Fine, you don't have to donate' but I'll let you know a little bit about it, so in the future if you change your mind."
More often than not, she says customers would end up donating a Toonie or Loonie.
To acknowledge Villanen's success, Wild Wing owners presented her with a gift certificate for Great Wolf Lodge as they presented their cheque to Gilda's Club.
The single mom of a four-year-old boy had some day hoped to take her son to the water park, but found it too expensive to go right at Christmas time.
She was thrilled at the surprise gift from her employers.
"I'm so excited. I was really shocked," she said. "I had talked about wanting to take my son. That's why I got really emotional there."
The staff had a tour of Gilda's Club before the cheque presentation Thursday and seeing the facility was an eyeopener.
"There's rooms where people can go and talk about it, whether they want to laugh or cry. They sit and deal with it in their own way," said Villanen. "None of us know when it's going to hit home so it's nice to know there's a place anyone can go."
