Peter Boaretto (fourth from left) with his wife and four children.supplied
Monica Boaretto recalls happy childhood memories of her father Piergiorgio (Peter) Boaretto.
“When he came home from work, he would gather the kids and go to the park,” she says.
And at family get-togethers, he could often be found sitting at the children’s table, enjoying the company of his grandchildren. So, after he passed away and his will was read, no one was surprised he had left a gift to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.
“He was a big kid at heart,” says Ms. Boaretto. “But when he set his mind to do something, he went ahead and did it,” she says.
An immigrant to Canada, Peter Boaretto was inspired by a teacher in his hometown of Corte, Italy, not to accept the status quo and to explore opportunities farther afield. He immigrated to Canada in the 1960s when he was 21, and after a few years established Superior Machining, a successful full-service machine shop that now works with a range of industries in Canada and around the world and continues to be operated as a family business.
“When we were grieving his passing, knowing about the gift was an unexpected comfort to us,” says Ms. Boaretto.
It was inspiring to know that his gift would have an impact on the lives of children; not just the children of today, but future generations of children. Children are a beautiful reminder of how precious life is and how a gift like our father’s can have a positive impact.
— Monica Boaretto
Later, she and her sister Laura visited SickKids to see first-hand the impact of legacy gifts.
“It was so overwhelming to see the neonatal unit and understand what the hospital does for all children, from those very small babies to older children,” she says recalling the international reputation of the hospital and the scientific breakthroughs that have had a global impact such as the discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene.
“It was inspiring to know that his gift would have an impact on the lives of children; not just the children of today, but future generations of children. Children are a beautiful reminder of how precious life is and how a gift like our father’s can have a positive impact,” says Ms. Boaretto.
Noting patients at SickKids come from across Ontario and Canada, and even from around the globe, Ms. Boaretto believes her father understood the impact of SickKids and how far-reaching his gift would be.
“He was a really great man who chose to do such a beautiful thing by leaving a gift to SickKids,” she says.
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.