Lethbridge Tim Hortons donating to Green Shirt Day initiative

For the first time in its more than 25-year history, the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Week is running a holiday version, and a local initiative is set to benefit.

In total, 14 Lethbridge Tim Hortons locations will split 100 per cent of the Holiday Smile Cookie sales between the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps and Green Shirt Day.

Green Shirt Day is the nation-wide event encouraging organ donation sparked after the Humbolt Broncos bus crash in 2018 and the loss of Lethbridge local Logan Boulet.

Toby Boulet, Logan’s father, says they’ve rallied 120 volunteers to help hand-decorate white chocolate sugar cookies over the course of the week at several locations.

“When we were contacted by the local Tim Hortons owners, Bernie and I were like what? It was really exciting,” Toby explained.

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Among those helping kick off the event was Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh, Lethbridge Fire and EMS Chief Greg Adair and Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen.

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“It’s absolutely amazing,” Hyggen said. “You’re seeing the lineups of traffic and people flowing through here. Everybody wants to take part and contribute in any way they can.”

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Scenic Drive Tim Hortons owner Dave Lawlor welcomed the extra hands behind the counter on Monday, saying that back in May during the last Smile Cookie Week, his location alone sold about 6,000 cookies.

“Our last program, like for the city, we did, I want to say about 49,000,” said Lawlor.

“I don’t know, I wouldn’t be surprised if we kind of get close, to be honest.

“It’ll be an interesting week. Lots of decorators, lots of cookies… We might have to run out of an apple fritter to keep these cookies going in the ovens, but, you know, it’ll be fun. It’s a great program.”

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Toby hopes that the Holiday Smile Cookie provides an opportunity to think about the gift of life during the season of giving.

“You can buy a smile cookie, you can wear your Green Shirt Day shirt, take a picture, post it on social media,” he said.

“On the posters we have one of Logan’s great smiles. I picked that one on purpose because he’s got a great smile and it’s just a nice photograph. Logan was kind. Logan liked to smile and so think about that.”

The Holiday Smile Cookie Week runs from Nov. 13-19. Green Shirt Day takes place annually on April 7.