Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign raises more than $13,000 in Coaldale

Sunny South News Photo by Kristine Jean. SMILE COOKIE WEEK: The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Week wrapped up on May 4 and raised more than $13,000 for the Coaldale FCSS Do Crew program. Decorating Smile Cookies are Do Crew members (left to right) Camrin Martens, Zoey Arnott (back) and Rilee Oberkirsch.

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

The week-long Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie campaign has wrapped up and raised thousands for the local FCSS Do Crew program.

Between Taber and Coaldale, more than $24,000 was raised between April 28 – May 4, for the FCSS youth program, with the Town of Coaldale coming out on top with a grand total of $13,124, while the Town of Taber netted $11,602 in Smile Cookie sales.  

This year’s campaign included a friendly cookie competition between Taber Mayor Andrew Prokop and Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn, to sell the most Smile Cookies in support of youth programs. All proceeds of sales are going to the FCSS’s Do Crew program — a local initiative dedicated to developing leadership skills and promoting volunteerism among youth in the community.

Family support worker with FCSS in Coaldale, Kim Fehr, said the campaign had “great support from the community.” The Barons-Eureaka-Warner FCSS area covers 16 municipalities including Coaldale, Taber, Nobleford, Milk River, Picture Butte, Coalhurst, Lethbridge County and Stirling, among others. 

The Do Crew program began as an FCSS youth program for high school students in Grades 10-12 and expanded from there, noted Fehr. 

“There was some interest from parents (asking) is there something for the younger kids – something for the junior high, middle school (students),” she said, noting the Coaldale Do Crew that Fehr oversees, meets every other week to participate in activities, games and community events that encourage and promote skills that these kids need to be leaders,” Fehr added. “Whether it’s communication or problem-solving, they’re having fun while learning some skills.”

FCSS outreach support worker Madison Hanson, who oversees the Do Crew program in Nobleford, was also helping Fehr with the Smile Cookie Campaign in Coaldale last week. 

In addition to meeting in a classroom setting every other week, the Do Crew in Coaldale also spends time volunteering at various events in the community including Family Day, Easter, McHappy Day, annual parades, Summerfest and the Smile Cookie Campaign. 

One of those youth members is 10-year-old Rilee Oberkirsch, who shared some of her thoughts on the FCSS Do Crew program. 

  “It helps you to learn different things to be kind and to be better to other people,” said Oberkirsch, who is in her first year with the Do Crew. 

“On a smaller scale sometimes we go around in the spring and clean the (local) park,” said Fehr, noting the program’s motto is ‘do good, feel good.’ Just little things like that, that really encourage kids to get out and just be part of the community at a young age as they’re growing and developing.” 

Outreach support worker with FCSS, Madison Hanson, who oversees the youth Do Crew program in Nobleford, was also helping Fehr with the Smile Cookie Campaign last week. 

Anyone wishing to join the FCSS Do Crew can contact Fehr via email at kim.fehr@fcss.ca or call (403) 795-7841 and for more information visit http://www.fcss.ca