The Woman Who Dared to Dream

Ginny Witkowski was in an abusive relationship that seriously affected her and her four young children. Through sheer determination and a strong belief in herself, that part of Ginny's life is over now. With the support of several United Way-funded organizations, she eventually escaped her personal pain and sorrow.

Remarried and working, the future looked brighter for Ginny, but a medical condition faced her with a new set of difficulties. A lengthy hospital stay cut her off from her family and, over time, cost both Ginny and her new husband their jobs. They had no choice but to go on social assistance.

The tides turned for Ginny when she approached SEED-Winnipeg, a United Way-funded organization that assists low-income families.

Through an asset-building program, Ginny was able to acquire financial management skills and assistance that allowed her to save enough money to make her dream come true: her own self-sufficient business.

Considering the unhappiness she's experienced in her life, Ginny sparkles in the knowledge that her special events and party planning business brings happiness to everyone from children to corporate clients.

Whenever someone asks Ginny where she sees herself in five years, her answer is two-fold. "Of course, I want us to be the best business of its kind in the city," she says. "But more than that, I want to help and hire women like me. I want to give them a 'hand up', not a hand-out. If I can do it, so can they."

As for United Way, this is where Ginny gets passionate. "The way I feel about United Way," she says without hesitation, "is a lot like the old adage: 'Give someone a fish, they'll eat for a day. Teach someone how to fish and they'll eat for life.'"

For more on Ginny's story, check her out in the Winnipeg Free Press!