An appreciative Edward Zaretsky, delivered nearly 400 hand-made gifts to Humber River Health last Wednesday morning to show his sincere appreciation for the hospital’s staff, physicians, and volunteers.

Tell us about yourself.

Well, my name is Edward Zaretsky and I am 87 years old. I’ve done a lot of community service work over the years and I didn’t want the pandemic to stop me from continuing. I have nothing, but good things to say about the staff, physicians, and volunteers at Humber River Health, so I wanted to show my sincere appreciation for them.

What are the gifts you made?

I’ve made over 400 hand-made desk organizers and coasters from recyclable materials. Each one is different as they all come in various shapes and sizes, with unique designs and patterns I painted myself. I began when COVID-19 hit, so I’ve been making them for almost two years now.

Why give them to Humber River Health?

I’ve come to Humber River Health for multiple services and those I’ve encountered have been excellent people. Everyone is great here, especially the blood transfusion team on the second floor. All the workers, including the volunteers, have been very gracious and have assisted me in helping me find my way around the hospital. I wanted to do something to commend them for their commitment and dedication in the work they are doing.

Anything you’d like to add?

I have a motto, and that is, “If you smile, then the world will smile with you.” We hear a lot of bad in the news, but I just want everyone to know and understand that people do care about other people and want to make each other happy. At the end of the day, I just want to make people smile.

Edward’s kind act is truly appreciated by everyone at Humber River Health!