Truck driver Shawna Gray of Winnipeg has been away from home for up to two weeks at a time so she could do her part to keep grocery shelves stocked. Dale Langille renewed his nursing license so he could help provide medical care in Laval, Que. Dr. Eugene Wong has flown in and out of some of the most remote parts of the country to help the sick in underserved communities. And Cheyenne Schulz has worked with vulnerable populations in Mission, B.C., helping to provide food, hygiene and shelter necessities. She is also a longtime Tim Hortons team member.
They are just a few of the thousands of everyday Canadian heroes who are being honoured on new limited-edition Tim Hortons Hero Cups, which became available at participating restaurants across the country starting this week.
There are 100 different designs of hot beverage cups featuring large “Thank You” and “Merci” messages in place of the Tim Hortons logo, along with the names and professions of up to 100 heroes wrapping around the cup.
In June, Tim Hortons asked Canadians to nominate their heroes of the pandemic and a flood of submissions quickly poured in. The thousands of heroes whose names appear on cups are a diverse mix of workers: they include health-care professionals, first responders, retail staff, government workers, public transit drivers, social workers, funeral home staff and many others who have made important contributions that helped keep the country running during these difficult times.
“There are so many Canadians who have stepped up in incredible ways since the beginning of the pandemic,” says Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons. “With our Hero Cups, we can all take a moment as we’re having a coffee to read through the names of some unsung heroes of the last few months. They’ve been the backbone of our communities during these extremely challenging times and this is another way of saying thank you for everything they’ve done. And I also want to mention all the hardworking Tim Hortons team members — we owe them a huge thanks for everything they do.”
Since the beginning of March, Tim Hortons and its 1,500 restaurant owners across Canada have also sought out opportunities to thank frontline and other essential workers by donating over 1.6 million free cups of coffee and baked goods, by making contributions to local food banks, and distributing free Tims gift cards.
Visit https://www.timhortons.ca/herocups to learn more about some of the Canadians who have their names on Hero Cups:
- Maryse Boivin, emergency childcare worker from Montreal
Hero Cup nomination for Maryse: “Since the childcare centre that Maryse was working at was designated as an emergency centre during the crisis, she continued to give her body and soul to watch over children she didn’t know and make sure the rooms were disinfected to keep the children healthy! I take my hat off to her.” - Shawna Gray, truck driver from Winnipeg
Hero Cup nomination for Shawna: “Shawna has not stopped since the beginning of this. She has continued to go into cities and U.S. states that are hot spots to keep our grocery shelves full.” - Samaila Ibrahim, evening retail worker in St. John’s, N.L.
Hero Cup nomination for Samaila: “When his store was lined up around the building with anxious people waiting to get in he went to work each day without complaint and risked his health. I moved back to Canada with my husband around Christmas of 2014, since that time he has done so much for not only himself but for the people of our province and certainly deserves to be recognized.” - Dale Langille, licensed practical nurse from Laval, Que.
Hero Cup nomination for Dale: “My dad renewed his nursing license at the beginning of the pandemic and began working as soon as he could. He even left home and lived in a hotel for a month while working in Laval. He is my hero and I wish nothing more than to show him how much I love him.” - Rhonda Mathison, registered nurse for the Fort Nelson First Nation in B.C.
Hero Cup nomination for Rhonda: “Rhonda is an amazing nurse. During this pandemic she worked hard to care for the elders of our community as well as the staff still working. During her off hours from her full-time job she would put in shifts at the local hospital. All frontline workers should be recognized as they are all amazing.” - Cheyenne Schulz, community outreach worker and part-time Tim Hortons team member from Mission, B.C.
Hero Cup nomination for Cheyenne: “Cheyenne has been working at Tim Hortons for over 10 years. She continues to work at Tim Hortons while working as an outreach worker. Throughout the pandemic she has worked tirelessly to help our vulnerable population in Mission by making sure they have food, hygiene and shelter necessities. Cheyenne did not miss a beat when the virus hit but rather chose to go out in the community and make sure people were safe and secure. She is an outstanding hard worker who always puts everyone else first.” - Dr. Eugene Wong, from Toronto
Hero Cup nomination for Eugene: “Eugene has worked tirelessly in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Northern Ontario since the pandemic began, providing essential medical care to some of the most remote and under-serviced populations in the country, while being away from his home, family and friends in Toronto for months at a time. When available, Tim Hortons is a much savoured luxury for him, wherever he is.”