The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign took over dine-ins and drive-thrus across the country with individual locations bringing in funds for a charity or non-profit of their choice.

For the 2022 run, the Okotoks locations landed on the local Optimist Club to be the recipient of the money raised by the cookies.

The Okotoks Optimist Club facilitates and ensures there is a positive relationship between youth, businesses and community members all to develop youth citizenship and engagement. 

They decide to use the money to support the Okotoks Public Library says Angela Schwartz, a member of the local Optimist Club.

"One of their dreams and goals was to have a mobile book bike to deliver books. High River has one and so they mentioned to us how it was one of those pie-in-the-sky hopes and dreams that they had. 

"We thought, ‘well, we could partner and we could support youth citizenship and develop youth programs and initiatives while also serving the rest of the community with the book bikes.’ So that's where the proceeds will go."

It more than pays for the project as a grand total of $13 863 was raised.

"A big thank you to Tim Horton's and to all of the staff in the drive-thru windows and, behind the scenes, the bakers. We just couldn't have done it without them. We’re so grateful and just wanted to say thank you to Okotoks and Tim Horton's."

Contributing to the almost $14 000 raised was one stranger who paid it forward in a remarkable way.

Schwartz mentions she was on her way to pick up three boxes of cookies.

"I was taking them to the heartland because I figured we should honour seniors in our community because without them Okotoks wouldn't be what it is today. And as I pulled up to the drive-thru window they said, ‘the car in front of you paid for them’ and that was like 3 dozen cookies. 

"I'm so grateful to whoever that person is ... thank you. Your random act of kindness was delivered to the Okotoks seniors."

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