The donation will be used to purchase medical equipment that is desperately needed. (Facebook/ North Central Health Care Foundation)

By Rachel May

Sweet Rewards

Melfort’s Smile helps fund the North Central Health Care Foundation

Oct 30, 2021 | 9:00 AM

Through Tim Horton’s smile cookie sales, funds were raised to support new hospital equipment in the northeast, so that the joy extends beyond the cookies.

Tim Horton’s across Canada sold smile cookies from Sept. 13 until Sept. 19.

Peggy George, Chair of the North Central Health Care Foundation (NCHCF) and manager of the hospital gift shop, said the organization cannot express how grateful they are.

“We have been so fortunate. We have been in the last two campaigns Melfort Tim Horton’s has done,” she said.

Tim Horton’s in Melfort has donated nearly $20,000 to the NCHCF through their smile cookie campaign.

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“It’s a sweet reward for helping out. They’re delicious cookies and $20,000 can buy a lot of equipment,” she explained.

When Tim Horton’s chooses a charity for a campaign the partnership lasts two years. The NCHCF has had two consecutive campaigns totalling four years.

“They don’t normally do that because there are so many different great charities out there,” George added. “We had it in 2018 and 19. We were thrilled but then COVID hit. The owners of Tim Hortons thought the foundation is going to be under pressure for more equipment. So we got the campaign again.”

Smile Cookies were sold for $1 plus tax with 100 per cent of proceeds going to the NCHCF.

For the 2021 smile cookie donations, NCHCF received $6,543. This represents an increase of nearly $1,300 from their 2020 total of $5,284.

The proceeds will be used to buy medical equipment for Melfort and the surrounding areas.

Considering the rising cost of healthcare equipment, George said this donation will greatly benefit the community.

“When you start paying $18,000 for a bed or $8,000 for a lift and you need more than one in a facility, health care equipment is just so expensive,” George added. “Then you get into the electronic equipment that needs to be updated and replaced. It’s almost scary.”

Visit North Central Health Care Foundation’s Facebook page for more information.

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Rachel.May@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RachelMayFM