YORKTON — The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign launched Monday in Yorkton, marking the beginning of a week-long effort to support local cancer initiatives while pursuing a major fundraising milestone.
From now until Sunday, May 3, 100 per cent of proceeds from the sale of chocolate chunk "Smile Cookies" at Yorkton locations will be donated to Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer.
While the Smile Cookie campaign is a national initiative across Canada and the United States, individual restaurant owners select a local charity to benefit from their sales. This year marks the ninth year that Yorkton Tim Hortons has partnered with Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer.
Over nearly a decade, the partnership has raised more than $88,000. Following a successful 2025 campaign that brought in $22,000, organizers have set a goal of $12,000 this year. Reaching that target would push the total lifetime contributions past the $100,000 mark.
"It’s an amazing fundraiser for us, from our volunteers helping to decorate the cookies to the community stepping up and buying them," said Leone Ottenbreit, co-founder of the charity. "Most people can afford the $2 for a cookie or $5 for a plushy, and they know the money is going to a good cause helping local patients."
The funds directly support the Local Cancer Initiatives Program, which provides a wide range of services for patients and their families in Saskatchewan, including:
- Accommodations: Funding one-night stays at the Regina cancer patient lodge and one-week stays at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon.
- Youth Programs: Supporting Camp Circle of Friends, a medically supervised camp for children affected by cancer, and the "Cancer Champions" program, which provides chemo-accessible shirts and celebratory trophies for young patients.
- Hospital Support: The newest initiative funds nutrition programs and the community oncology unit at the Yorkton hospital.
The campaign relies on local volunteers to donate their time to hand decorate every cookie. Carol Stringfellow, a retired nurse who worked in palliative care, has been doing it for three years says. She does it because it’s important to her to give back to the cause of cancer programs, and Birgit Mass who does other cookie decorating wants “to give back to a good cause.”
Tim Hortons manager Vishal Sharma noted that the campaign creates a vibrant atmosphere in the store. He also credited local corporate partners, such as Harvest Meats and Cornerstone Credit Union, for their ongoing support of the initiative.
"We are hoping to beat the funds raised last year," Sharma said, noting that the increased foot traffic makes the restaurant a "really nice environment" for the cause.
Yorkton residents can support the campaign by purchasing cookies or plushies at any local Tim Hortons through May 3.
