October 14, 2011/-KINGSTON, ON – “This is incredible!”  That’s what a beaming Sherri Agnew, Tim Hortons owner and CEO of J. E. Agnew Food Services Ltd., said when she saw the final tally of this year’s Smile Cookie campaign.

Tim Hortons stores across Kingston and area raised $45,300 through the sale of special, smiling chocolate chunk cookies during their annual Smile Cookie Campaign, well beyond last year’s total of just over $36,200. 

“It’s fantastic to realize that we have more than doubled our annual total since our first Smile Cookie campaign raised $20,000 back in 2008. Thank you to all our wonderful guests who gobbled up more than 136,000 smile cookies over the past four years to help us reach our goal,” said Ms. Agnew.

Smile cookies were sold at nineteen Tim Hortons locations during the week of September 19 to 25, to raise funds for University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) in support of Kingston General Hospital (KGH).  This year’s Smile Cookie campaign caps off a $125,000 pledge to the Together We Can campaign for the redevelopment of Kingston’s hospitals.  At KGH, the redevelopment projects are more than 90 per cent complete and include new and expanded space for pediatrics, medicine and oncology, inpatient dialysis and mental health, intensive care, central processing as well as the Southeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre at KGH.

UHKF Executive Director Denise Cumming expressed thanks, saying “The community support for Smile Cookie has been amazing, and we are very honoured to be the beneficiaries of this campaign. We are grateful to all the customers who purchased cookies and to Tim Hortons Kingston area operators: Jeff, Heather and Sherri Agnew; Leanne and John O'Mara; and Angela and Robin Denstedt, as well to all the local store employees and the KGH and Foundation volunteers who helped sell Smile Cookies each year.”

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.

          

About Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons is the fourth largest publicly-traded restaurant chain in North America  based  on  market  capitalization,  and the largest in Canada. Tim Hortons  appeals  to  a  broad  range  of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes coffee and donuts, premium coffees,  flavored cappuccinos, specialty  teas, home-style soups, fresh sandwiches and fresh baked goods. As  of  April  4th,  2010, Tim Hortons  had 3,596 systemwide restaurants, including  3,029  in  Canada and 567 in the United States. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons-invest.com

About the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation is the fundraising arm for Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston General Hospital and Providence Care.  Created in 2005, the Foundation raises money for programs, equipment, education and research that benefit the 500,000 people in Kingston and Southeastern Ontario served by the three teaching hospitals.  To find out more about giving opportunities or to make a donation call 613-549-5452 or toll free 866-549-5452 or go online to www.kingstonhospitalsfoundation.ca


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Contact: 
 
Sophie Pal
Regional Marketing Manager
Tim Hortons, Central East Ontario
Phone: (905) 339-5038
Email: pal_sophie@timhortons.com

Mary Crawford
University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
Phone: (613) 549-5452 Ext. 5908
Email: mary.crawford@uhkf.ca