Small Town Raises $11K Selling 5,500 Smile Cookies

When nearly every other person in your town buys a cookie for a neighbor battling cancer, something beautiful is happening.

The small town of Carman, Manitoba just wrapped up its fifth annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign, raising $11,000 for South Central Cancer Resource. With only 3,000 residents, that means the community sold over 5,500 cookies at $2 each in just one week.

Jack Pethybridge, Finance Chair for SCCR, couldn't hide his pride. "That is incredible for a community of 3000 people," he told reporters after volunteers finished decorating the last batch.

The money fills a critical gap. South Central Cancer Resource receives zero government funding but serves cancer patients across a massive stretch of southern Manitoba, from Altona to the U.S. border. Every dollar raised keeps volunteer drivers on the road.

Those drivers are lifelines. They transport cancer patients to treatment appointments across the region, covering hundreds of miles. With gas prices soaring, the cost of compassion has climbed too.

Volunteers from CIBC, local credit unions, and board members showed up every morning of the campaign to decorate cookies before dawn. Tim Hortons owners Jeff and Linda Doerksen opened their doors and their hearts, turning their shop into a hub of hope.

The Ripple Effect

This cookie campaign represents something bigger than baked goods. In five years, community participation has grown by 139%, turning a $4,600 first attempt into an $11,000 powerhouse.

The need keeps growing too. Pethybridge notes that client numbers are climbing, making fundraisers like this absolutely essential. Without them, patients across southern Manitoba would face impossible choices between treatment and transportation costs.

The momentum continues with SCCR's annual fashion show coming May 14th. Last year they had to move venues to accommodate 500 attendees instead of 300. Their summer golf tournament in July draws even more community support.

Radio host Jayme Giesbrecht, who co-hosts the fashion show each year, puts it perfectly: "Cancer has touched almost every family in some way. That's why it's so important that we continue to step up as a community."

When a town of 3,000 buys 5,500 cookies, they're not just supporting cancer care—they're proving that small communities can create massive change, one smile at a time.