After selling more than 14,000 treats during smile cookie week April 27 to May 3, Haliburton and Minden Tim Hortons’ owners Mike Garland and Paige Chapman said they’re excited to see a chunk of the proceeds benefit Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre.
The County-based non-profit, located on the grounds of Abbey Gardens, offers in-person and online retreats and programs that executive director, Barb SmithMorrison, said offer rest and renewal, companionship and an introduction to evidence-based practices that benefit mind, body and soul during a cancer diagnosis.
Brooksong received $28,681, with Smith-Morrison stopping by the Haliburton Tims location May 8 to accept the cheque.
It’s the best smile cookie campaign since Garland and Chapman took over as owners of the two franchises three years ago. In 2024, they raised $10,322 for Volunteer Dental Outreach and in 2025 brought in more than $22,000 for area food banks.
“Our goal was to hit $25,000 this year so that we can cover one weekend retreat at Brooksong,” Garland said. “Cancer is something that impacts everyone. I’ve had some aunts who have been diagnosed. I saw what it does to people.”
Chapman added, “once we spoke to Barb and got to see what Brooksong is all about, she sold us right away. Knowing friends who have lost parents, just seeing what they went through. Their whole life unfolds. If we can do something to make someone’s experience a little easier, we want to do that.”
Smith-Morrison said the money would be used to send several local residents to a retreat this year and launch a new monthly support group. The charity provides all its services free of charge.
There will be retreats, which span three or four days, running monthly through November. They’re available to patients with a new diagnosis, their caregivers, and people at end of life. Brooksong also has online programs, a quilting group and will soon be launching a new offering for alumni – those who have benefitted from retreats in the past.
“After people come through here, they take away so much from their experience that they want to stay connected. We know how important it is to feel like you have a sense of belonging somewhere,” she said.
On the new support group, SmithMorrison said Haliburton County Development Corporation has also provided $5,000 to help get it off the ground. A first session will be held at Brooksong May 21.
Without fundraisers like this, Brooksong’s executive director said it would be impossible to deliver programs for free. She estimated it costs around $2,500 to put someone through a retreat.
“We’re committed to doing what we do at no cost because people going through a cancer diagnosis already have so many expenses in their lives. They may be out of work. It’s a gift in such a difficult time,” Smith-Morrison said.
The owners said it was a community effort, with several businesses chipping in to the record-breaking local campaign. On April 29, Sweat Social was at the Haliburton location with members doing a burpee for every smile cookie sold. Garland said the restaurant sold 1,700 cookies in four hours.
“Everybody works together for important causes like this,” Chapman said.
For more information on Brooksong programming, visit brooksong.ca.
