‘It’s wonderful’: Chatham brothers keep collecting empties for a cause
Brett and Derek Gore have been collecting empty beer cans and liquor bottles for over a decade and a half to buy toys to donate to children without gifts during the holiday season.
Their family says on any given day they could find a bag of empties in the driveway, not knowing who dropped them off.
“It's gotten bigger and bigger and bigger and it's great,” said dad, Bob Gore.
“It’s just people's kindness. You know, it's just the positivity and giving back and we've tried to always instill in the boys people need help.”
He said it all started when the brothers were teenagers at The Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, delivering no more than ten gifts.
In 2021, they donated $8,174 worth of toys to the Salvation Army Chatham-Kent, nearly $3,000 more than the year before.
Brothers Brett and Derek Gore at their home in Chatham, Ont. on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor) “Last year was incredible,” Gore said. “But I think COVID had something to do with that people couldn't leave their home so maybe instead of a beer they had two or three or I don't know but it was crazy.”
Gore continued, “with our neighbours, friends, people throughout the county, Windsor, London, Port Lambton, Sarnia, Wallaceburg, people calling dropping things off, it's just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger and without their support this would really never have happened. But it's wonderful.”
Mom, Linda Gore, told CTV News the family never sets a goal other than to bring cheer to those finding it difficult during the holidays.
“People will message the boys and say ‘can you come pick up empties?’” she said. “So off they truck!”
“Some people even count the cans for us and they put little tags on and say you know there's 100 bottles in this or 100 cans. This is awesome. Thank you so much people, really.”
The Gores explained the toy collection often outgrows the crawlspace in their home before they’re able to deliver them, saying they now use a storage space offered by Community Living Chatham-Kent.
Anyone looking to help with the cause can drop empties off in their south Chatham driveway at 155 Copperfield Crescent.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.