Turn on those porch lights Dec. 4 and help the Chatham Goodfellows.
They’ll have hundreds of volunteers seeking donations in the door-to-door portion of their “No Child Without a Christmas” campaign.
Goodfellows spokesman Tim Haskell said the volunteers will begin about 5:30 p.m. and should be done by about 8 p.m.
“Leave your porch light on and we’ll come to your door with our big red smocks that say Chatham Goodfellows on them,” he said.
The fundraising event is so effective that scammers have tried to take advantage of the situation.
“Last year, someone walked into someone’s kitchen and said they were with the Chatham Goodfellows. They weren’t,” Haskell said.
That’s why the Goodfellows wear their smocks, so you’ll know just who they represent.
Upwards of 500 volunteers will canvas Chatham neighbourhoods, seeking support. Many of those volunteers are local high school students, Haskell said.
The Porchlight campaign is a well-oiled machine.
“It’s all organized. It’s been happening for 60 years. We’ve got a good grasp on what should be done and what shouldn’t be done,” he said. “But there is a lot of ground to cover.”
New volunteers are always welcome. Haskell said they can register at chathamgoodfellows.ca.
Other notable dates for the Goodfellows include Street Sales, where volunteers seek donations in front of many stores in Chatham, and the final day to register as a Goodfellows client.
That date is Dec. 1. For existing clients, you can go to the website, while new clients can call 519-354-1146.
Street Sales take place Dec. 15 and 16.
