INNISFAIL - It was a tasty fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters at the local Tim Hortons last week.
It was Tim Hortons' annual Smile Cookie campaign for 2018, with all proceeds going towards the Innisfail youth programs served up by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Red Deer and District (BBBS). The Smile Cookie campaign runs until Sept. 23.
"We want to continue to be in Innisfail and that requires funding and through the generosity of Tim Hortons we've been selected as their charity of choice and here we are to support that and do it in a big way," said BBBS executive director Jacquie Boyd, who attended the local Tim Hortons on Sept. 19.
Community volunteers from Servus Credit Union and École John Wilson Elementary School were on hand to help make cookies and raise money for local youth programming.
"We do have students who access the program in our school and we find it's a great program and we want to support it as much as we can," said Angela Warke, principal of John Wilson elementary. She said her school and students continue to rely on the BBBS mentoring program.
"It is very important. Our kids get a lot of benefit from the program, so we would hate to lose it at our school," she said.
Boyd said the Sept. 19 fundraiser was important for the agency as it not only needs the funds for its Innisfail and area programing but it was also critical to get the word out that mentors, especially males, are urgently needed.
"We want those children and youth to have that very important relationship in their lives, and specifically we are really looking for male mentors. They seem to be the hardest to attract," said Boyd.
The Red Deer BBBS agency has been working in Innisfail and area for just over a year following the demise of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Prairies to Peaks of Innisfail, which closed its doors almost 18 months ago.
Dawn Flanagan, the BBBS program director, said during the last school year the Red Deer-based agency had 18 teen and two community-based matched mentors in the Innisfail area, with an additional three youths waiting to be matched.
"The Big (mentor) and Little (mentee) meet weekly and both are to take an active role in planning the activities they will participate in," said Flanagan. "The weekly mentoring can happen during the day, evening or on weekends. BBBS requests a minimum one-year commitment to the match, but ideally this will become a lifelong relationship."
BBBS has been serving Central Alberta since 1976. The mission of the agency is to empower children and youth to develop confidence and skills for life through knowledge, healthy relationships and quality experiences. The population the agency serves is children and youth between the ages of five and 24, with a focus on those facing economic and/or social challenges.
For more information on the Red Deer BBBS and its various program opportunities for Innisfail youth visit the agency's website at youthhq.ca
