The Chatham Goodfellows is marking 70 years and long service by volunteers is common for those involved with the Christmas charity.
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Longtime volunteers who have helped the Goodfellows live up to its motto, “No Child Without a Christmas,” were honored at the organization’s general meeting Thursday night.
Chatham couple Sean and Tanya Wilkins were named Mr. and Mrs. Goodfellow and Ron White, a founding member of the local charity, received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sean Wilkins began volunteering with the Goodfellows at age 5, helping father Dave Wilkins pack and deliver food and toys to those in need.
Like many longtime Goodfellow volunteers, they give back for the help their family received when times were tough.
Sean Wilkins said years ago there were some labor issues where his father worked and “he leaned on this organization at Christmas time.”
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He said his father wanted to give back after being helped.
Wilkins said his father was “insist that as long as we could, we keep helping out where we can.
“When you do need help, it’s nice to be able to have organizations like that can help provide it.”
Now married over 28 years, Tanya Wilkins said she began joining Sean to help the Goodfellows when they were first going out together.
“It was kind of our date night,” she said.
Tanya walked right away.
“I just absolutely loved it. The people are amazing,” she said. “It’s a great organization.”
In announcing White as recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, longtime Goodfellow Fred Osmon said the honor is “a shining beacon to highlight the scale of a person’s achievement.”
Goodfellows president Craig Williston said the organization “never would have made it” if not for volunteers like White.
White modestly accepted the honor, praising others in the organization before saying, “Thank you very much.”
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