Smile Cookies Sales Begin in Oxford

Monday, 28 April 2025 06:26

All of the proceeds go to a local charity of the restaurant owners choice.

OXFORD COUNTY - It's Smile Cookie season!

Starting today, Tim Hortons locations across the country will be selling the popular chocolate chip cookies with an icing smile with all the proceeds going to a local charity of the restaurant's choice.

The Thamesford location will once again raise money for Andrew's Legacy. Cara Schmidt started the charity 10 years ago, after her son Andrew Stoddart passed away after having a cardiac arrest while playing soccer in Kintore. He was 15-years-old.

"Since that day, our family has gotten together and placed as many defibrillators in public spaces as we can. Each defibrillator costs about $2,000 and for the past seven years the Smile Cookie campaign has been the biggest fundraiser for us."

Andrew's Legacy has helped install 79 defibrillators in public places since then and Schmidt says there's another five on the way.

The Tim Hortons locations in Woodstock, Ingersoll and Innerkip will support United Way Oxford and VON Sakura House.

Amanda Krieger, the Resource Development Manager for United Way, says the money they receive will support local groups and organizations that fall under their three main pillars; Poverty to Possibility, Building Strong Communities, and All That Kids Can Be.

"Last year we invested in 13 different organizations and 43 different programs across Oxford County. So that money will go to help support kids and kids programming, we're really big into housing support right now, and some mental health and addictions supports."

Sakura House is a 10 bed residential hospice that provides end of life care to Oxford County residents, and supports the friends and family members about to lose a loved one

The Fund Development Coordinator Chelsea Stephens says the funds they receive will be put to good use as well.

"We don't have government funding for things like groceries, heat and hydro. Sakura House is totally free, there is no out of pocket expense for patients and their families, and we want to keep that possible."

Sakura House saw a total of 276 patients in 2023 alone.

Looking at the other Tim Hortons locations in Oxford County, the Norwich store will raise funds for the Norwich Salvation Army and the proceeds in Tavistock will be doing to the Tavistock Assistance Program.

The Tillsonburg locations will be going to Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital and the ONroute locations on Highway 401 between Woodstock and Ingersoll will support Million Dollar Smiles.

Smile Cookies cost $2 each and the campaign ends on Sunday May 4th.