Getting their Smile Cookies on at Tim Hortons
Smile Cookies returned to Tim Hortons from April 29 through May 5, and this year all that happiness is going to help the breakfast club at Linklater Public School. For more than 25 years, Tim Hortons stores throughout North America have taken a week each year to put blue eyes and pink smiles on chocolate chunk cookies, selling them to the public and donating all of the proceeds to worthy charities and hospitals.
“The first-ever Smile Cookie campaign in 1996 raised funds to support Hamilton Children's Hospital,” according to the company's website. “Since then, the annual charitable campaign has raised a total of more than $111 million for charities and community groups that are selected every year by Tim Hortons restaurant owners. Last year, Smile Cookie raised a record-breaking $19.7 million, supporting over 600 charities and community groups across Canada and in the United States. Recipients include local hospitals, community care organizations, food banks and schools.”
Cookies were decorated by several members of the Tim Hortons team as well as student volunteers, customer volunteers and volunteers from the local charity with some assistance by Charlie, Julia and Henry Moore, children of local franchise owners Kylee and Nate Moore. They sold for $1.50 apiece and were very well received. In addition, people could buy Smile Cookie pins at $2 apiece with net proceeds also going to help the cause.
“My children purchased cookies for each of their classes,” said Kylie Moore. “They have decorated the ones their classmates will receive, putting their own special touch onto each and every one.”
Some of the cookies had the standard smile and blue eyes, while others were more creative with circular moths, eyebrows, and/or other special features. It was fun for all to see just what they could do with tubes of icing and a little imagination.
This year they had a special helper come in – former store owner and self-confessed cookie monster Ange Denstedt. She and husband Rob had dropped by to see how things were going and to let Ange get her hand in once again.
“I did these for twenty years,” she said. “It's nice to know I can still get it done.”
The Moores are new owners and look forward to keeping the store the happy place to go for coffee and sweet treats. This year they were able to sell just under 7000 cookies by the end of the week meaning at least $10,500 going to the breakfast club.
In addition to the Smile Cookies, Tim Hortons will be holding its annual Camp Day on July 17, where funds will be raised to help send underserved children to summer camp. Tim Hortons believes in supporting youth year-round wherever they are and whatever their situation.
“We want to thank the community for coming out to help us with the Smile Cookie sales,” said Kylee Moore. “We look forward to being here and doing what we can in Gananoque.”