Local children could have an opportunity to go to camp this summer, thanks to the support of Stettler area residents who participate in the annual Tim Hortons Camp Day fundraiser today.
One day each year, Tim Hortons restaurant owners donate all proceeds from coffee sales to the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation.
“Support that we see from our communities year after year is outstanding and goes a long way toward changing a child’s life,” Dave Newnham, foundation president and executive- director, said in a news release.
“Once a child returns attends our camp, they return home with a more positive attitude and greater confidence about their future.”
With an Alberta camp in Kananaskis, and others in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Kentucky, the foundation has served more than 175,000 children from economically disadvantaged homes since 1975.
Last year, Camp Day raised $9.9 million across Canada and the U.S.
As the penny is due to be phased out in the next few years, Tim Hortons welcomes donations of one-cent coins. Pennies in the foundation collection account for $1.4 million annually, or $200,000 monthly.
Children ages nine to 18 are selected to attend the summer camp program by Tim Hortons restaurant owners who work closely with local youth organizations and schools in their communities to identify kids who would most benefit from an experience at camp.
RICHARD FROESE, Independent reporter