Positively Abbotsford
Abbotsford & Fraser Valley Smash B.C. Smile Cookie Records, Raising $87K for Healthcare
The final tallies are in, and the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation (FVHCF) has a massive reason to smile. The recent Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign raised a record-shattering $87,764.06, officially making it the highest-grossing Smile Cookie campaign in all of British Columbia.
A network of 21 local Tim Hortons locations across Abbotsford, Mission, Hope, and Rosedale pulled together for the cause, donating 100% of the proceeds from every $1.50 cookie sold. The incredible total marks a staggering 380% increase over last year's campaign, which brought in just over $18,000.
The success was driven by a massive community effort. Volunteers and foundation members didn't just buy cookies—they flooded local franchises to help staff hand-decorate the iconic treats and even set up a pop-up cookie station directly inside the Abbotsford Regional Hospital atrium.
Every single dollar raised stays local. The FVHCF will use the $87,764 to fund essential medical equipment and patient programs at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and surrounding Fraser Valley healthcare centers.
Weather
🌡️ This Week’s Weather Forecast
🌤️ Abbotsford Weather Outlook: A warm stretch to kick off the weekend before cooling down into a mix of clouds, early-week sun, and some mid-week rain.
Thu 28: ☀️ 24° (10%) | Fri 29: 🌧️ 17° (70%) | Sat 30: ☁️ 17° (30%) | Sun 31: ☁️ 19° (30%) | Mon 1: 🌤️ 24° (20%) | Tue 2: ☀️ 28° (30%) | Wed 3: ⛈️ 24° (80%)
☀️ Best Days for Outdoor Plans: Thursday 28 & Tuesday 2
Good thing about forecasting weather is I can be wrong 50% of the time and not lose my job!
Coming Events
Run for Water Trail Race (Sumas Mountain) An annual community fundraiser trail run is taking place on Saturday, May 30 on Sumas Mountain to support clean water projects in rural villages.
Details: Rugged, technical single-track trail runs with various distance options starting early in the morning.
More Info
Fraser Valley Irish Dance Showcase A regional cultural dance presentation highlighting local talent and traditional Irish choreography.
Venue: Abbotsford Arts Centre - More Info
Adult Drop-In Dungeons & Dragons A weekly, beginner-friendly open tabletop gaming night hosted in downtown Abbotsford for adults looking to join a campaign or try the game.
Venue: Boardwalk Cafe - More Info
Tuesday, June 2 starting at 6:30 PM.
Splitz Gymnastics - More Info
Venue: Abbotsford Arts Centre - All Day
A History Moment
1923 May Day Festival Flashback (A Century of Maypoles)
📜 History Moment: A Centennial May Day Memory
If you caught the Bradner May Day festivities recently, you’re taking part in a tradition that is over a century old! Looking back at late-May archives from 103 years ago (1923), the Abbotsford May Day Festival was the absolute biggest talk of the town.
It featured massive community baseball games, traditional maypole dancing, and a performance by the Abbotsford Brass Band that lasted all day. The Abbotsford festival was historically significant as it was the very first May Day celebration in British Columbia to be held outside of New Westminster, setting the stage for the Fraser Valley community traditions we still enjoy today.
To advertise your local business Contact Jim Wright [email protected] or call 604-996-5887
The 1910 Automobile Era (From Horsepower to Horseless Carriage)
📜 History Moment: Abbotsford's Very First Commute
Let's roll the clock all the way back to late May of 1910. Local newspapers recorded that Abbotsford officially had exactly one automobile in the entire district.
The sole vehicle was a massive sensation and became an instant goldmine for local real estate agents. Agents would hitch rides in the "horseless carriage" to drive potential buyers around the rural property lines, completely blowing clients away with the cutting-edge speed of early 20th-century technology.
Frugal Corner: Local Savvy Savings
Skip the Supermarket Premium: Take advantage of being the "City in the Country." Skip the corporate chains and hit local independent green grocers, farm gates, and stands along Huntingdon or Clearbrook roads. Buying produce directly from growers or sourcing eggs and meats in bulk from local Fraser Valley farmers cuts out the middleman and saves you big on your grocery bill.
Join Your Neighborhood "Buy Nothing" Group: Before clicking "Add to Cart" on home goods, tools, or kids' gear, check out Abbotsford’s active, neighborhood-specific Buy Nothing groups (found on Facebook). It is a hyper-local gift economy where neighbors freely give away things they no longer need—letting you score anything from furniture to kitchen gadgets entirely free.
Abbotsford Buy Nothing GroupGrow Your Own Bounty: If you don't have yard space but want fresh, organic produce, look into securing a plot at the Abbotsford Community Garden. For a small annual fee and a few volunteer hours, you get access to great soil, shared tools, water, and greenhouse space to grow your own summer squash, herbs, and veggies. Contact Gagan Singh
Swap Streaming Bills for the FVRL: Cutting out just two streaming services can save you over $300 a year. Dust off your Fraser Valley Regional Library card instead. Beyond a massive collection of physical books and movies, your library card gives you completely free access to premium digital streaming platforms like Kanopy and Hoopla.
You can also cut cable and purchase a Roku. We have had 4 since the first one came out and love it. They range in prices. We bought the latest one and are very happy. It is one remote that controls the tv, Roku and Volume.Outsmart the Gas Pump: Fuel costs in the valley can be brutal. When you do have to fill up, strategic locals often find cheaper prices just slightly outward in Aldergrove to save a chunk per liter. For longer trips westward, tapping into regional transit or carpooling networks will keep cash in your wallet by cutting down on wear-and-tear.
Thank you for reading abbyrundown.ca Next week I will also start doing movie reviews and adding more sections. This is YOUR Community Newsletter.
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