News release from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
A record-breaking $15 million has been raised for more than 600 local charities and community groups through the sales of Smile Cookies at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada. In Barrie and Stroud, local Tim Hortons restaurants and guests together raised over $174,000 to be split by two charities - Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and Hospice Simcoe.
"We were thrilled last year to set a new Smile Cookie record by raising more than $12 million during the week-long campaign. And thanks to the dedication and passion of the Tim Hortons community, we were able to raise over $15 million this year! One hundred per cent of all proceeds are donated to local charities and community groups right in your neighbourhoods. I could not be prouder of what we've accomplished together with Tim Hortons restaurant owners, their team members and volunteers, and Tims guests. Our Smile Cookie campaign has grown from its humble roots as local fundraiser in Hamilton in 1996 into something incredibly special that touches so many lives,” says Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons.
“We are so grateful to Barrie and Stroud Tim Hortons restaurant owners as well as our community, for supporting patient care and RVH and raising much needed funds for our Birthing Unit through the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign. These funds will play a vital role in RVH’s ability to continue giving its tiniest patients the best possible start, and to continue meeting the growing healthcare needs of our region,” says Pamela Ross, CEO, RVH Foundation.
The first-ever Smile Cookie campaign in 1996 raised funds to support Hamilton Children's Hospital. Since then, the annual charitable campaign has raised a total of more than $92 million for charities and organizations that are selected every year by Tim Hortons restaurant owners. Recipients include local hospitals, community care organizations, food banks and schools.
“We are very grateful to Tim Hortons and our community of Tim Hortons owners and staff. The funds raised in the Smile Cookie Campaign play a critical role in allowing us to provide bereavement support to anyone who has experienced a loss, and end-of-life care to those dying at Hospice,” Kelly Hubbard, Executive Director, Hospice Simcoe.
Pictured in banner image: Kelly Hubbard, Executive Director, Hospice Simcoe (middle centre, right), is joined by Gail Hunt, president and CEO, RVH (middle centre, left), Marilyn Guest, Fund Development Manager, Hospice Simcoe (middle, third from right), and Paul Larche, RVH Foundation Board Chair (middle, third from left), as well as Barrie and Stroud Tim Hortons restaurant owners and staff (from top left to right: Brandon Newlove, Jason Holman, middle left to right: Geoff House, Mark Hinton, Johnny Mizzoni and Susan Holman, bottom left to right: Paul Stevenson, Sarah Hinton, Dawn Melling, Lauren Melling, Lianne Melling and Tammy Hughes) to celebrate the incredible success of the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign benefiting Hospice Simcoe and RVH's Birthing Unit.
