The Chatham Goodfellows have had some holiday helpers for their No Child Without a Christmas campaign.
Members of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment were on hand to load and deliver toys on Monday and food on Tuesday.
Tim Haskell from the Goodfellows said that, for Monday night's toy deliveries, an estimated 300-400 volunteers came out to pack up toys for about 1,300 children. Even more were expected to help with food on Tuesday, as donations for hampers often exceed the toy donations.
Warrant Officer Matthew Mitchell said he's volunteered to help the Goodfellows since he joined the regiment in 1996, but can track members' participation in the campaign back to at least the mid 1980s.
Mitchell said it's something members of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment look forward to every year.
"There were a couple of years that we weren't getting funded by the military and even still the guys came out in civilian attire. We weren't authorized to go out [as members of the military] but we still volunteered," he said.
The regiment is there for logistical support, with bodies and trucks ready to deliver toys and food for the holidays, but Mitchell believes there's another reason it's great to be out helping the community while in uniform.
"It speaks to the community," he said. "It allows them to see a different side of us and for them to see the support we put into the community."
The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment participates in other community events throughout the year, but Mitchell said this campaign is special.
"We know when it's Christmas time, it's Goodfellows time," he added.
The Goodfellows will provide 1,600 families with food hampers this year and Haskell said that between the organization's Street Sales and Porchlight drive about $90,000 was raised for the No Child Without a Christmas campaign.
