October 8, 2009/- This year’s Smile Cookie campaign at 17 Kingston-area Tim Hortons has set a new record. Smile Cookie Week, September 21-27, raised $34,586.94 for the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation in support of the redevelopment of Kingston General Hospital – nearly 75 per cent more than the year before.

The money was raised through sales of special, smiling chocolate chunk cookies for $1.00 plus tax. Cash donations were also accepted. In 2008, the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign in Kingston raised just over $20,000 for redevelopment of KGH. 

“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s campaign such an overwhelming success,” said Leanne O'Mara, Tim
Hortons Store Owner. “Raising awareness for the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation through the Smile Cookie campaign opens the door to more  community involvement and ensures that the funds raised in our community stays in our community. I think that’s something we can all smile about!”

All the funds raised through the Smile Cookie program will be counted towards the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation’s $70-million Together We Can campaign. The Foundation announced Sept. 11th that the campaign had reached $60-million.

We also want to thank Tim Hortons Kingston operators J.E. Agnew Foods,
Rob, Angela & Tim Denstedt and all local store employees and the KGH and
Foundation volunteers who helped sell Smile Cookies that week

“We want to thank the thousands of people who bought Smile Cookies or gave cash donations to support KGH. This shows that when the community comes together to support our hospitals even a small thing like a Smile Cookie can make big things happen for our health care,” said Ian Wilson, Chair of the Together We Can campaign. “We also want to thank Tim Hortons Kingston operators J.E. Agnew Foods and Rob, Angela & Tim Denstedt, all local store employees and the KGH and Foundation volunteers who helped sell Smile Cookies that week.”

Tim Hortons has been supporting local communities through the “Smile Cookie” program since 1996. The “Smile Cookie” program originally began in Hamilton, Ontario to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital. Since then, it has expanded across Canada helping a variety of children’s charities, hospitals and community programs.