New record set for local Smile Cookie Campaign, nearly $20,000 raised

June 26, 2025 · 0 Comments

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

The numbers are in and the Shelburne community has set a new local record for the amount of money raised through the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign.

The Rotary Club of Shelburne was presented with a cheque for $19,030 from Shelburne Tim Hortons on June 18.

“The support of the Tim Hortons Smile Campaign allows Rotary to support many local causes that might normally not be able to help,” said Bill Waite, president of the Shelburne Rotary Club.

The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign ran from April 28 to May 4 and during that time more than 9,500 smile cookies were sold in the Shelburne community. During the week-long campaign, the fundraiser was able to surpass last year’s record-breaking donation by $2,000.

The money raised from the Smile Cookie Campaign will be used to support the Shelburne Food Bank, the Christmas Hamper Program, the Rotary Backpack Program and a number of other local causes.

“The Shelburne Rotary really has a pulse on the community and they have different organizations they work with. Knowing where the money can be spent and sprinkling it to the different needs of the community,” said John Lewandowski, owner of the two Tim Hortons locations in Shelburne.

Tim Hortons first began the Smile Cookie campaign in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital and has kept the initiative going to help raise funds for community charities.

This year, the Smile Cookie campaign raised a record-breaking $22.6 million, supporting over 600 charities and community groups in Canada and the United States. Recipients included local hospitals, community care organizations, food banks and schools.

“[The Smile Cookie Campaign] is a collaborative effort between us and the community,” said Lewandowski. “As much as it’s us donating the money to the community, it’s the community donating money to itself. It really is a whole community effort.”