Smile Cookie campaign raises $45,000
Moosomin first in Saskatchewan, sixth in Canada.
May 13, 2024, 8:18 am
Ashley Bochek
More Smile Cookies were sold in Moosomin this year than ever before, with $45,000 worth of Smile Cookies sold. That’s more than $10,000 higher than the previous record sales for Moosomin, $34,335 last year.
Moosomin’s sales were the highest in Saskatchewan this year, for the third year in a row, and sixth nation wide. Moosomin has also had the highest Holiday Smile Cookie sales for the last two years.
Moosomin Tim Hortons owner Greg Crisanti says the community’s support makes the Smile Cookie fundraiser successful.
“We are absolutely thrilled and beyond joyful with the results again this year. It just shows the amazing community support we have in Moosomin,” he said.
“To claim top spot in Saskatchewan for the third year in a row for our regular campaign, and we did it twice, in our holiday cookie campaign. It is just an unbelievable honour for us to have and to say thanks to the community is just unbelievable.
“The total fundraising dollars that we had come in is $44,999.10 for Moosomin. That is top first place in Saskatchewan and sixth place across Canada and the US. It is extraordinary and unbelievable, especially, for a community our size to have that much support and that amount of numbers come out of the one single Tims, I definitely can’t say thank you enough to our community sponsors, the staff, as well as everyone who purchased a smile cookie for our day care is terrific.”
Community Support makes the difference
“I really throw it back on our community how well everyone comes together,” says Crisanti.
“Everybody is familiar in Moosomin now on how the campaign goes.
“Of course we try to get our pre-orders out there as early as possible in order to make it a little easier for ordering and on our bakery as well. The community just pulls together as one. It is unbelievable.”
Moosomin being noticed
Crisanti says Moosomin has exceeded expectations for Tim Hortons Franchisees.
“It definitely puts Moosomin on the map. At our conventions and head office, they are asking where is Moosomin, Saskatchewan. They see it on the leader board all the time. We are getting praise during the week of the campaign.
“Our numbers are well above normal and going above extraordinary for a community this size. It really is just magical and terrific. I can’t take all the thanks for sure. It has a very little part on me. It is the community that are purchasing the cookies, and sponsoring, as well as the volunteers of our staff and charity like our day care and the amount of work they have put into it. It takes a group to get the results and we seem to hit it out of the park every year.”
Exciting week
Crisanti says everyone gets excited about the Smile Cookie campaign. “The excitement during the week is amazing. We do start the weekend before, decorating and getting the restaurant prepped, moving tables around and getting our posters ready, it does take quite a bit of work just prepping. If you can imagine the size of cookie orders that we are receiving every year so trying to find room juggling cookie dough in our freezers as well as getting everything ready for the fondant and boxes to put them in. It is really exciting and the staff really enjoy it. They love seeing it. There is some friendly competition of course with other restaurants as well as our own group, we tend to have some fun with it. We definitely love having the title of the Cookie Capital of Saskatchewan and to be in the top 10 in Canada at sixth place is remarkable.”
Getting involved in community
Crisanti says the Smile Cookie campaign is all about giving back to the community. “It’s really getting into the community and making sure everyone is aware 100% of our proceeds are staying in our community. We push it really hard to because it is our time to give back to the community that has been so good to us.
“A community like Moosomin has been fantastic for us and it is just one small part that we can do to give back to the community is with the Smile Cookie campaign. As fun as it is, it is truly remarkable to see the dollars come in. I have heard great positives over the years, we have been able to help a lot of different organizations in our community. It really is about giving back to the community that has been so good to us.
“Definitely the Smile Cookie campaigns as well as our Camp Day campaigns, the Holiday Smile Cookie campaign, and Orange Sprinkle Donut, we try to get involved as owner and franchisee as much as we can. All these campaigns, they have them about every 90 days through our restaurant so there is a good break in between them.
“It really is about giving back and getting into the community. We are very positive. It is really important as much as we do good in this, but we are doing these community programs as best as we can and above and beyond. That is truly what we strive for as owners.”
He says they will be looking for their next charity for Smile Cookie week in May 2025 soon.
“I don’t think we would change anything right now. We are definitely open to ideas if anybody has ideas to make it better. We are open to friendly competition. Our goal every year is to always beat the year before. That is a little fun for us. Right now, we are just looking ahead. Our Holiday Smile Cookie campaign is coming up in November with a 50/50 split with our Tim’s Camp Organization and then May 2025 is when the Smile Cookie campaign will come back again. We are open to charities. If we know about a non-profit organization in our community that wants to jump on board and see what it is all about. Definitely have to do some work as far as the organization goes it makes the campaign go a lot more successful if we have their partnership in the program, but we will be looking for our next charity right away soon to start planning!”
