The Community Exchange (TCE) in Altona is spreading holiday cheer by partnering with Tim Hortons for the Holiday Smile Cookie campaign.
This festive initiative, slightly different from the spring Smile Cookie campaign, features cookies adorned with white icing instead of blue. What makes this campaign special is that 50 per cent of the funds raised will go to TCE, while the other 50 per cent will support the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.
TCE executive director Paul Peters is excited about the initiative.
“Being part of the Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie campaign gave us the space to dream a little and created opportunities for us to continue our mission and raise some money on the side.”
The Tim Hortons Foundation Camps aims to send kids from communities with Tim Hortons to camp, which could also impact children in Altona.
“It’s a win-win,” Peters said.
To make the experience more about building community rather than just selling cookies, TCE decided to turn this into an Altona-wide Smile Cookie Drive.
On Wednesday., Nov. 20, from 4:30-8 p.m., TCE plans to purchase 4,500 cookies and deliver them to every home in town, all in one night.
“Our intent is to see every resident in Altona be offered a cookie,” Peters explained. “The connections may not be deep, but it’s going to put people face to face with people they may never have met otherwise.”
The ambitious plan has received significant support from the community. A group of individuals committed $500 each, and several businesses contributed between $500 and $1,000. The Town of Altona also chipped in $1,500.
The goal was to raise $7,000 to purchase all the cookies, but TCE surpassed this target, raising $8,000. This allowed them to commit to purchasing 700 cookies for the community of Roseau as well, ensuring the whole of Roseau will get cookies the following Monday.
“This drive is an avenue to build connections, and that’s what TCE is all about,” Peters emphasized. “We’re excited to bring smiles to every home in Altona and beyond.”
To execute the delivery, TCE is looking for a minimum of 30 drivers.
“We figure somewhere in the 4,500 range of residents. There are 1,700 dwellings, so if we break it down, we figure 30 plus drivers should cover 35 to 50 homes each,” Peters noted.
Volunteers will meet at TCE, receive cookies, and then spread out across the community to knock on every door and offer cookies to brighten people’s day.
“We are still looking for volunteers. If people want to drive, we’ll make it happen. The more drivers we have, the smoother the process will be,” Peters said.
Tim Hortons manager Raj Jasani highlighted the importance of the Holiday Smile Cookie campaign.
“We hold cookie campaigns every year. For the summer campaign, 100 per cent of the proceeds go to a local charity chosen by the owner. For the November campaign, 50 per cent goes to a local charity, and 50 per cent goes to the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation,” he explained.
Reflecting on the campaign, Jasani said, “I like the idea of bringing a smile to each and every home. It also raises awareness of the business and the charities they support. We want everybody to come buy cookies.”
The night will conclude back at TCE with a fire, hot chocolate, and a celebration for all who participated in the delivery.
“We’ll bring everyone together and say, ‘Well done,’” Peters concluded.
Meanwhile, the Morris Tim Hortons’ cookie campaign is supporting the Morris School playground project.
Students have been pre-selling cookies for weeks in support of the $150,000 fundraising campaign for a new playground.
