Smile Cookies campaign raises $9,641 for Kids in Need

December 10, 2025

By Bill Kilpatrick

On Dec. 8 members of the board of directors for Bancroft and Area Kids in Need met with the owners of Tim Horton’s, staff members, and volunteers at the Hwy 28 Tim Horton’s where they were presented with a cheque for $9641.43. According to Kids in Need board member Keri Musclow the funds are greatly appreciated and will go to helping many children in North Hastings. “This year is a big time of year for us in terms of our spending,” said Musclow. “The fall snow suit campaign was able to provide 145 kids with new snow suits to keep them warm for the winter. The Smile Cookies fundraiser is a huge part of buying those snow suits, but we’ve also got 156 registrants for the toy drive program.”

Musclow explained that the monetary donations not only go to keeping kids warm, but they ensure that youths have a present under their tree on Christmas Day. The monetary donations ensure that youths of all ages receive presents including the older kids whose gifts are often bigger and more expensive, but still vital. Musclow further explained that the monetary donations are also used to help with emergency requests like snow suits or boots. “Having that funding available,” explained Musclow, “means that if somebody experiences a hardship of some kind [during the winter] and they need a little bit of help we can hopefully do that.”

Musclow was very thankful for all the assistance that Kids in Need receives and she wanted to thank all the volunteers who have helped with the Smile Cookies campaign including Tim Horton’s staff members, the Kids in Need board members, volunteer fire fighters, and members of the North Hastings Hospital auxiliary. In terms of assistance with the toy drive Musclow wanted to thank Scotia Bank, Kawartha Credit Union, Century 21 Realtors, Boyer GM, Foodland, and No Frills for both monetary donations and gift donations. “Those businesses and agencies are a huge part of why our programs are successful… we wouldn’t be where we are without their support,” said Musclow.

Mark Walsh, owner of the two Tim Horton’s franchises in Bancroft, was happy that they we’re able to raise close to $10,000 for the Kids in Needs program despite a drop in donations. “It was a very successful year. We were down a little from the year before,” said Walsh. “but it was still a respectable year.” Both stores finished in the top three for their district during the last Smile Cookies fundraiser, but this year the Hwy 28 store fell to second place from first, and the Hwy 62 store failed to make the top ten. Regardless, explained Walsh “the volunteers did an amazing job, the staff did an amazing job along with the management and the community. We couldn’t do it without the community.”

While the Bancroft and Area Kids in Need have been the recipients of the Smile Cookies donations for the past few years, next year, says Walsh, there will be some changes. Walsh said that they are being “encouraged by their head office” to “spread the love” and donate to other charity organizations.

This will leave Bancroft and Area Kids in Need, in need of a major donor for 2026. When reached for comment the Board of directors for Kids in Need released this statement, “Prior to the Smile Cookies campaign, Bancroft and Area Kids in Need used to participate and receive support through the local radio-a-thon. When the radio a thon shifted its focus, it was a huge loss and impacted us greatly. The Smile Cookies campaign has served as our main source of support for the last three years. We understand there are other charities that will benefit, but we will feel the loss of this campaign in our funding of the snowsuit and toy drive programs that have been running for over 30 years supporting families in North Hastings to stretch their resources. We hope they will consider us as future recipients and we would enjoy the opportunity to work together again.”