Tim Hortons utilizes pennies

by Jolene Perron

Tim Hortons across Essex County are giving residents an outlet for their pennies as they go out of circulation.

Tim Hortons customers have possibly seen the donation boxes for Tim Hortons camps for years. The coffee shops are now encouraging residents to drop their pennies there as they go out of circulation.

“My workplace has been making a point to donate our pennies (to Tim Hortons),” said Lauren White, employee of LaSenza Express. “It’s convenient for us because it’s so close to our store so when we go for our Tim’s runs we dump them into the box.”

Jennifer Lauzon, manager of the Tim Hortons at 250 Sandwich St. in Amherstburg, said the pennies from the donation box will go to Camp Day which happens annually in June and is the finale of their yearly fundraising.

“All that money, I’m going to roll it up and cash it at the bank and all that money will go to Camp Day,” said Lauzon.

Lauzon said the donations will help a local child go to a summer camp in Kentucky. Once a year she drops a folder with applications and requirements to local school principals. The principals choose a child meeting the criteria outlined, which include low-income, and single-family households.

According to Rebecca Deline, activities coordinator at the House of Shalom Youth Centre in Amherstburg, some residents of Amherstburg are already donating their dusty pennies as they become obsolete.

“I’m sitting at my desk right now and can spot three separate piles of pennies. It doesn’t seem that anyone uses them anyways,” said Deline. “I’ve already emptied out my car cup holders and donated them there (at Tim Hortons).”

With $9.9 million helping send more than 15,000 children to camp last year, every penny counts.