St. Vincent de Paul President’s volunteer work deapens his faith
By BILL GLEN
Western Catholic Reporter Staff Writer
Edmonton
After Bob Prestash sold his southside business a few years ago, he set his sights on helping the needy in Edmonton and area.
“When I first got involved, it was a real eye opener to see the amount of need that is out there,” said Prestash, president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul local council.
“My reaction was that the society has been around for more than 175 years and it has crossed all the bridges. It has dealt with all the issues. I liked that. It’s a good answer to the needs of responding to the Gospel calling to serve those less fortunate.”
A former gun shop and shooting range owner, Prestash, 41, cannot emphasize enough how the entire team of some 300 Vincentians works together to distribute assistance to the poor in Edmonton and area.
But he is hesitant to talk about himself. He is the last person who will say the society has flourished in Edmonton under his stewardship.
Prestash joined the society four years ago after reading a notice in his church bulletin calling for able-bodied men with trucks. It was a city-wide appeal.
“The St. Agnes-St. Anthony-St. Thomas More Parish triad already had an established way to deliver furniture with a number of volunteers. I looked for our parish contact who suggested I go to the central distribution outlet to see if any other conferences could make more use of me and my truck. There was a lot for me to do.”
Prestash thought the society might use a person with the time and energy to take on the position of overseeing operations in Edmonton and area to help it get established.
“The Edmonton council is the coordinating body that each of the parish-based conferences of the society works with for joint projects,” Prestash said.
The local council has grown with Prestash at the helm from assisting about 600 people some four years ago to the current base of 4,000.
