Chatham-Kent has been busy recently, showing their Christmas spirit – raising money and collecting toys and food for the Chatham Goodfellows.
The Union Gas Blue Flame Club has been involved with Chatham Goodfellows as far back as 1975. Employees developed and maintain partnerships with Heinz Food, Kraft in Dresden and the Bulk Barn to fundraise, purchase food and deliver food each year.
Union Gas employees have donated thousands of hours of sweat equity, and over $500,000 in toys, food and cash.
Union Gas staff continued their legacy of giving. They held their annual jersey day fund raiser for Chatham Goodfellows. At this point in Union Gas staff have raised in excess of $13,000, and their fundraising efforts are efforts are continuing. Chatham Goodfellows are grateful for the hard work and dedication of Union Gas Employees.
Canadian Tire in Chatham and CKSY Radio held a Hatchimal Toy Auction recently with proceeds to the No Child Without a Christmas Campaign. Hatchimals are the hottest Christmas gift this year.
Melissa and Jonathan Abrosimoff of London were highest bidders at $330. Melissa was pleased have the successful bid, but she was equally pleased to make a donation to Chatham Goodfellows. Melissa’s roots run deep through Chatham Goodfellows as her family has been involved with Chatham Goodfellows for 62 years. Her grandfather Don Strong was a charter member of Chatham Goodfellows.
In addition to donating the Hatchimal for the auction, Canadian Tire Chatham donated a Hatchimal to Chatham Goodfellows to use as a gift in one of the toy boxes that will be given out on Dec. 20.
The ladies of St. Anne of Immaculee Conception & St. Philippe Parish in Pain Court held a toy drive for the 2016 Christmas season. On Nov. 6, a Christmas tree was placed at back of the church and decorated with pink and blue cut-out paper angels. Parishioners were invited to pick an angel and purchase a gift for a child of the age written on the angel. In less than a month, over 70 gifts were collected.
Blackburn Radio held Santa’s Day Off at the Real Canadian Superstore on Dec. 7. The company collected unwrapped toys in support of Chatham Goodfellows and for those who participated, Chatham Chrysler and Chatham Mazda offered free hot chocolate and a ballot for a chance to win a $500 Visa Courtesy Card.
At Santa’s Day Off, Tim Haskell of Chatham Goodfellows, accepted toys and a starter coin collectors set from local coin collector, Colin Cutler, who made it a point of coming to the Superstore to drop off the coin set and toys.
Tim and Colin discovered they had something in common; both benefited from the generosity of Chatham Goodfellows when they were very young. In 1958, Colin and his sister received a Christmas tree, food and toys from Chatham Goodfellows. Colin never forgot receiving those gifts and he has given back ever since.
Tim also remembers receiving toys and food from Chatham Goodfellows when he was very young. Today Tim is on the board of directors for Chatham Goodfellows, and he will be the president of Goodfellows in 2017.
The goal at the Chatham-Kent Family Health Team is to provide the very best health care which is patient-centred and responsive to local community needs. The whole Chatham-Kent Family Health Team recently gathered to have a Christmas dinner and collected toys and food to donate to Chatham Goodfellows.
Battery Boy is a great partner of Chatham Goodfellows and was one of the first businesses to come forward to assist Chatham Goodfellows in 2014 to replenish their battery stock after a break and enter. This year’s $2,500 donation will be used to purchase food and toys for an estimated 1,500 families in Chatham and the former townships of Chatham, Dover and Harwich, Raleigh and the Merlin Community in partnership with the Merlin Legion.
The Dover Kinette and Kinsmen Clubs made their annual donation recently. Dover Kinsmen President, Larry Cadotte and Kinettes President Dianne Duphette presented a cheque for $1,500.
Boston Pizza staff were the 2015 Chatham Goodfellows President Award winners. Each year, the staff of Boston Pizza pool tips earned one day to purchase toys for Chatham Goodfellows, and this year, earned $1,700 in tips.
Each year UNIFOR Local 127 at MSSC organizes a toy drive in which all employees are encouraged to contribute new unwrapped toys for Chatham Goodfellows, and this year was by far their most successful toy drive. Four large pallets full of new toys that total in excess of $7,000 were collected.
Earlier this month Neil Johnson, Director of Human Resources for MSSC presented a cheque for $1,000 from MSSC to Chatham Goodfellows.
Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre staff donated toys and $1,000 cash to Chatham Goodfellows Dec. 9.
