DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM GETS FINANCIAL BOOST

We're community policing, hear us roar!

"This is community policing at its finest," said Const. Paul Harrison,
North East region D.A.R.E. co-ordinator, as the Tim Hortons stores of
Timmins, Cochrane and Iroquois Falls donated $3,159 to the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education program, Friday.

Harrison and the D.A.R.E. mascot, a lion, accepted the cheque from Tim
Hortons staff Friday afternoon.

"The D.A.R.E. program is a co-operative education program using the
resources of the police, school boards and the community at large,"
Harrison added.

"Tim Hortons is a wonderful corporate citizen, donating time, materials and
money wherever you go. This is another time they've shown their
appreciation of the customers and community they serve."

Community contributors, such as Tim Hortons, are a large part of the reason
the D.A.R.E. program is now in effect from Burke's Falls to Moosonee, with
40 working officers, said Harrison, the Porcupine Ontario Provincial Police
officer who trained them all.

Tim Hortons' five Timmins outlets were pleased to be of service, said the
co-owners of three stores, who represented region owners at the presentation.

The five Timmins stores combined contributed $2,384.25.

The Iroquois Falls and Cochrane outlets made up the rest of the $3,159.

"We're doing this to give back to the community and to support a very
worthy cause," said co-owner Rick Lauzon.

"We chose a charity every year to thank our customers for their support."

Lauzon also thanked customers for their support in buying the Smile Cookies
which generated the funds over a two week period N special triple size 3.5
ounce chocolate chip cookies with candy decorative 'smiley faces' on them.

All proceeds from the 75 cent cookies went to D.A.R.E.

"We want to commend our bakers for doing these special orders, our serving
staff for pushing the cookies and our customers for buying them," added
co-owner Donna Lauzon.

It was the first year for Smile Cookies here and the Lauzon's promise these
treats will be back next year.

So does district manager Al Francis.

"D.A.R.E. is a great, well respected program which does great things with
kids," he said.

"Being a father and from Timmins, I definitely appreciate what they do and
Tim Hortons is proud to support them.

"The vast majority of charities we support are for kids N it goes way back
to the founders of Tim Hortons who created the Children's Fund."

Harrison agreed, mentioning the four summer camps across Canada they have
always run, in addition to supporting various children's charities.

Another camp opened in the States last year, where the franchise has about
125 stores.

That same year, $4 million was raised on Camp Day when all funds from
coffee sales chain-wide, was allotted to the camps operation. This year,
Camp Day will be May 15.