Boston Pizza locations around the country are raising money for charity with the Paper Hearts campaign. (Boston Pizza/Facebook)

By Doug Lett

Boston Pizza Paper Hearts

Paper Hearts campaign at Boston Pizza in Melfort

Feb 13, 2023 | 3:01 PM

Paper Hearts is one of the charity fundraisers put on each year by Boston Pizza.

The Paper Hearts campaign is on until Feb. 20 and raises money for a variety of charitable causes. The Boston Pizza in Melfort is among those raising money for the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, considered a world leader in cardiac care and surgery.

“It’s not just heart research, but a lot of the complicated procedures,” said Ewen MacPherson, a Boston Pizza franchise owner. “If you’re in Manitoba and had one of those more risky surgeries coming up, a lot of the times it’d be flown out or transferred, transported to the Mazankowski and they’ll handle your care and recovery.”

The MacPherson family has a special bond with the Institute, located in Edmonton. Back in 1991 MacPherson’s brother Kyle was born with a serious heart defect. Kyle and Ewen’s parents were Boston Pizza franchise owners, and so staff decided to put on a fundraiser by cutting out paper hearts and selling them at the restaurant.

The campaign was so successful that the following year Boston Pizza decided to make it a national campaign. That was 30 years ago, and since then the event has raised well over $9 million for charity. The charities are chosen by each restaurant – and many of them, including the Melfort BP, which is owned by the MacPhersons, have chosen the Mazankowski Institute.

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The fact that the campaign is still led by staff means a lot to the family.

“It’s a very staff-led initiative. And that’s what it remains today,” said MacPherson.

And he added over the years his brother Kyle has received excellent care.

“He was initially given potentially just five days to live, and he just celebrated his 31st birthday in September,” he said.

The Melfort restaurant is also selling tickets for the chance to get served by Lionel, the BP mascot, and all funds go to the Mazankowski Institute.

Besides paper hearts, Boston Pizzas across the country are also selling heart shaped pizzas as a charity fundraiser on Valentine’s Day.