Tim Horton's annual Smile Cookie Week fundraiser wrapped up this past Sunday.

This year's Portage installment saw the funds collected toward ROK (Recreation Opportunities for Kids) Central Inc.

"We had great participation with the community, so we were really happy we sold lots of cookies last week," says Stephanie Arnott, general manager for both Tim Horton's in town.

Arnott shares that 8396 cookies were sold, with $1 being given to ROK from each cookie.

The general manager adds that this is her favourite time of year.

"It's just really heartwarming to see the community come together and support initiatives like this. We work in Portage la Prairie, but we also live here, so it's nice to see organizations that maybe we use or we know somebody who's using benefit from."

Arnott notes that she is really excited to see the funds stay in Portage and interested in how the money will be used.

Board chair of ROK Central, Callie McArthur, talked about how every dollar counts when raising money for Portage's youth.

"We really put focus on connecting kids with and their families with any sort of recreation, sport, art, culture, any type of play activity. With every dollar, it just gets one kid closer to those opportunities that they couldn't otherwise afford."

McArthur shares that when Arnott told ROK they would get this opportunity, she, along with everyone else in the organization, was ecstatic.

"I know they raised around $8000 for the skate park last year. So, anything we can do to make kids and people happy around here, we will, we will definitely get on board with."

McArthur notes that this was ROK's last fundraiser as a standalone organization, as ROK will be merging the Family Resource Centre on October 1st.

"It was a rocky road for a while, pun intended, but just everybody who's helped and supported us. I just cannot gush enough about the support," McArthur concludes.