BONNYVILLE – Every year from May 1-7, Tim Horton’s Canada supports charities through its Smile Cookie campaign with 100 per cent of proceeds before taxes being donated to non-profits.
Since Lee Bellevue and his wife Victoria opened the first Tim Horton’s location in Bonnyville over 13 years ago, funds raised through the sales of Smile Cookies have gone to the Bonnyville Health Foundation to improve local health care.
The Bellevue’s took part in their first Smile Cookies campaign back in 2010.
“It's something that touches everyone in the community. Everybody knows somebody or has used the hospital before, so it kind of benefits everybody,” said Bellevue.
In 2022, Smile Cookie sales in Bonnyville reached the highest amount of dollars raised with $8,342. At $1 per cookie, that means 8,342 Smile Cookies had been sold in the seven-day period, last year.
This year, however, Smile Cookies are increasing in price for the first time in the program’s history, going from $1 to $1.50.
“This increase will allow even more money to be raised for charities and community groups across the country,” states the fast-food chain.
If the same number of people who purchased cookies last year do so again, that will mean $12,513 will make its way toward supporting local healthcare.
Donating time
For people who want to support the Smile Cookie campaign, but don’t have a sweet tooth, there are opportunities to help decorate cookies with smiling faces.
To make the event a success each year, the health foundation helps organize pre-ordered Smile Cookie boxes as well as gathering groups of volunteers to add smiles to the cookies.
“Anyone that wants to is more than welcome to help out,” Bellevue said. “We'll find a spot for them, and they can decorate some cookies and put their stamp on a great tradition.”
Cookie decorating volunteers will be needed in groups of two for one-hour shifts every day between May 1 to 7. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Dawn Weber with the Bonnyville Health Foundation to sign-up.
“It's great to see people from all over the community come out and support it,” said Bellevue. “Sometimes you think the icing will just come out really nicely, but sometimes they go a little funny and you get a little crooked smile, but that's what makes it special.”
The Smile Cookie program started in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital in Ontario. Today, over 600 local charities and organizations in communities across Canada benefit from Smile Cookie sales.
Victim Services and KidSport
Elsewhere in the region, funds raised through the sale of Smile Cookies at both Tim Horton’s locations in Cold Lake will be donated to Cold Lake Victim Services for the next five years. During the previous five years, donation dollars were directed to 4 Wing’s Military Family Resource Centre Society (MFRCS).
In St. Paul, Smile Cookies will be raising funds for KidSport St. Paul, confirmed Darryl Poirier, who says the non-profit has been happy to benefit from the initiative for several years now. KidSport supports families who need financial assistance to register their children in sports and purchase necessary equipment.
