The 70th "No Child Without a Christmas" campaign in Chatham-Kent was nothing short of a success.
Over the past two months, the Chatham Goodfellows were able to raise over $221,000 through different events and donations.
This is just short of 2023’s total of roughly $228,000.
“I think we should be above that [as] we have few more cheques rolling in,” said Tim Haskell, a member of the Chatham Goodfellows.
The money raised in 2023 was used this past Christmas to purchase toys for 1,360 kids and create around 1,600 food hampers. These numbers are close to 2023’s totals, though they did help a few more kids this time around.
The money raised in 2024 will be used for the 71st campaign later this year.
“It never ceases to amaze me, the amount that people give from their hearts,” added Haskell.
He explained the campaign would have been a struggle if not for Heuvelmans Chevrolet Buick GMC, which loaned a van for them to use to pick up donations and the owners of the former Monsignor Uyen Catholic School for allowing them to use the building to pack and deliver the toys and hampers.