Students at an Orillia high school are taking the meaning behind a new course to heart.
Tina Osburn’s health and vitality class at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School has a focus on “wellness and mindfulness,” she explained.
“A large part of that is gratitude and giving back to the community,” Osburn said.
They decided to do so in a delicious way. Tim Hortons’ smile cookie campaign is underway, with proceeds from sales in town going to the neonatal intensive care unit at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
The idea came after Osburn heard someone at Patrick Fogarty say, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had smile cookies at school?”
For three days, her students were taking cookie orders for their peers at Patrick Fogarty, hoping to boost sales, as well as support for the hospital. It resulted in $685 worth of smile cookies.
Hunter Knight was happy to help. The Grade 12 student completed her co-op placement at the hospital last year, and she even spent some time in the intensive care unit after she was born.
“It amazes me that it’s going to that,” she said of the cause. “It seems better when you know where it’s going to.”
It was a bonding and learning experience for the class, said Sarah Clark.
“It teaches people to give back to the community,” said the Grade 10 student. “And everyone loves smile cookies.”
That’s the response Osburn likes to hear.
“We want to take the opportunity to do as much in the community as we can,” she said. “Part of the mantra (of the course) is kindness, and what better way to spread kindness than a smile cookie?”
The health and vitality course is new this year. It sees students taking part in “mindfulness activities,” Osburn explained, such as yoga and meditation, with a focus on physical and mental health.
“It’s an opportunity to calm our busy minds,” she said.
Smile cookies are being sold at Tim Hortons until Sunday.
