THUNDER BAY — Tim Hortons raised roughly $63,425 locally in the second year of its Holiday Smile Cookie Campaign.
The campaign combined the efforts of Tim Hortons locations across Thunder Bay to make and sell cookies between Nov. 18 and 24.
Nearly $32,000, about half of the funds collected, went to Dew Drop Inn and the rest to the Tims Foundation Camps.
“It’s very important to be present as local owners here in Thunder Bay,” said Melanie Williamson, the owner-operator of the River Street Tim Hortons.
“It’s just really important to be part of the community to help out and see the smiles that it brings on other faces.”
She said they did not do it alone, the community also came out to help volunteer and support the campaign.
“It makes me feel fantastic. It’s amazing to be able to help support in the community and it’s also just amazing to see everybody that comes out along with it as well to help out,” said Williamson.
Williamson said it was great to be able do a second year and they are hopeful that it will continue every year.
Michael Quibell, the executive director of Dew Drop Inn, received the cheque from the organizers. He said he was very excited to be presented with the it.
“It was a great campaign. Dew Drop Inn relies on community support to serve a good meal daily, so this very generous donation is going to be incredibly helpful for a feeding program,” said Quibell.
He added it is really amazing that companies serving the community are taking part in the initiative.
“I think it’s really amazing. Tim Hortons is very community-minded. They do this twice a year. It gives us, the charities, an opportunity to get the funds that they desperately need,” said Quibell.
Quibell said the over $30,000 they raised for Dew Drop Inn would be incredibly beneficial for their charity.
“Tim Horton has two campaigns during the year, one in the spring and one for the holidays, so the Dew Drop Inn was selected for the holiday cookie campaign,” said Quibell.
“We were very excited when we found out that we were [selected]. So it was a lot of fun. We decorated a lot of cookies and helped them out and we were part of the process. So we just we’re really thrilled about this.”
