Community Living Sarnia-Lambton (CLSL) has surpassed its fundraising goal with $63,993 raised during the 2024 Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign.
The sweet fundraiser was held from April 29 until May 5.
A cheque presentation was held on Wednesday, May 22 at the Tim Hortons location on Lambton Mall Road in Sarnia to finalize the campaign. CLSL staff, clients, local restaurant owners, and Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey attended the event.
"It was a very collaborative partnership between our clients and their families, our staff, the [restaurant] owners and managers of Tim Hortons across Sarnia and Bright's Grove," said CLSL Executive Director Corey Thomas. "We want to thank all of them for their participation."
Thomas estimated that well over 30 people associated with Community Living helped decorate the cookies during the fundraiser.
"The clients particularly loved it! Some clients were greeters, some people decorated cookies, some people were there just to have a presence," Thomas said. "Some of our clients are regulars at some of the Tim Hortons so they were particularly happy to be going where the Tim Hortons staff know them."
CLSL initially hoped to raise $60,000 to support programs and services that benefit local youth and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. Thomas said the funds raised will "be a big help."
"We are under a fair bit of tight financial constraints," Thomas said. "We've only ever had about a four per cent increase in our base budget in the last 25 years or more so it's becoming increasingly challenging for us, particularly around things like maintaining our properties and facilities, capital funding, support for social recreation programming, [and] respite programming for children and for adults."
Money raised in Wyoming and Corunna supported Lambton County Developmental Services. Executive Director Nick Salaris said the Smile Cookie fundraiser generated $9,955 for the organization and will support programs the provincial government does not cover.
Proceeds raised in Forest resulted in $14,487 for the Royal Canadian Legion. Building Committee Chair John Vanos said the money will assist in a fundraising campaign for various repairs, upgrades, and refurbishments at the Forest Legion.
In Petrolia, $10,607 was raised for Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital through the Smile Cookie campaign.
-With files from Stephanie Chaves