Local Tim Horton owners present $52,060 cheque to the Reading College alongside program graduates on Tuesday at a local Tim Hortons. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

$52,060

Smile Cookie Campaign raises their most yet for Red Deer Public Schools’ Reading College

Nov 15, 2022 | 1:23 PM

This year’s Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie campaign raised their most ever with $52,060 for Red Deer Public School District’s (RDPSD) Reading College program.

“If there was a record for a city that made the most Smile Cookies in one week, I think Red Deer would be the contender for that,” said Red Deer city councillor and Executive Director for The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools, Bruce Buruma.

The grand cheque was given on Tuesday to representatives of the Foundation at one of the participating Tim Hortons locations, with West Park Elementary School students decorating cookies, surrounded by numerous guests including members of the Red Deer Optimist Club, the program’s founding partner, MLA Jason Stephen, and Reading College staff members.

From September 19-25, several Tim Hortons restaurant owners in Red Deer donated all proceeds from the sales of a special $1 smiling chocolate chunk cookie to the program.

READ: Sweet generosity with Smile Cookies for Red Deer’s Reading College

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Raising over $17,000 more than last year’s fundraising total of $ 38,671, local Tim Hortons owner Tanya Doucette says community spirit is just in the blood of Red Deerians.

“When there is a great cause, when there’s a reason to come together, the people of Red Deer truly do come out in mass and support a great cause and they obviously see the value that Reading College brings to the lives of all these people,” she said.

READ: Smile Cookies raised over $38,000 in Red Deer this year

For Kristine Plastow, Board Chair for The Foundation, the best part of the campaign is watching the students benefit from the generosity of residents.

“I get to go and see the kids at the Reading College actually and so to watch them as they’re actually learning and seeing what this money can actually do for those children is really rewarding. Then, when we do the launch for the campaign, it’s also a lot of fun because they bring kids from different schools so different kids get to come and they get to decorate the cookies and launch the campaign and it just gives a whole lot of enthusiasm. When you see the kids, you know this is who it’s for,” she said.

The program allows Grade 2 students to improve their reading and writing skills for four weeks in July, while simultaneously enjoying other summer activities, says Sue Carmichael, Program Coordinator. With 66 students having graduated in the program’s 11^th year, Buruma says 600 students have completed the program overall.

READ: Reading College celebrates 11th graduation

With the unexpected and added funds, Plastow states some funds may be shared with other student programs run by the Foundation including Bright Start for Pre-Kindergarten students, Step Up for food and basic necessities for all students, and Finish Line to help students complete their high school education.