Locals in Chatham who laced up their shoes for the 5km walk/run alongside the Essex-Kent Scottish Regiment have a better understanding of what the local troops are up to.
The fourth annual "Trot With The Troops" event took place at the armoury on Boomfield Rd., Sunday morning. This was the first time the event took place in Chatham, as it's usually held in Windsor.
The Potter family showed up for the event, saying it's a great opportunity to spend time together and meet local troops.
"I think it's pretty fantastic," says Jennifer Potter, adding they didn't even know Chatham has an armoury until recently. "It'll be a whole new experience for the girls (her daughters)."
Lieutenant Colonel John Hodgins is the Commanding Officer of the Essex-Kent Scottish Regiment. He says having family days like this is great for everyone.
"The soldiers train together quite often but the families don't have a lot of opportunities to get together and meet with the other families, and enjoy themselves," says Hodgins. "Today is a fun day really."
The event also provided a great educational opportunity, allowing Hodgins to share some information on what the local troops do while they're in Chatham.
"The primary reserve force - in general terms - parades once a week and our parade night is Tuesday nights," says Hodgins. "My leadership also comes in a couple extra nights per month to do administrative support."
Looking ahead, Hodgins says they're ramped up for High Readiness training come July 2017.
"The Canadian Government will now use 4th Division as it's High Readiness element for deployments overseas," adding it's on a voluntary basis.
