Since its inception, the Brown Bag Readers Book Club has made an annual donation to Christmas Happiness.
“It’s to help the families and the children,” member Joy Kelly said. “We all have children. They are grown, and now we have grandchildren, and I guess that’s just where our heart is.”
With 13 members, the club has donated for about 15 years.
The unique name reflects the paper lunch bag each member carried to the host’s house for monthly meetings. Now, club members eat out, but they’ve kept the name from their more humble beginnings.
A different member hosts each month, and Kelly has December. So she took up the collection and made the donation to Christmas Happiness at the Salisbury Post.
Through churches and public schools, all members have been involved with helping needy families, Kelly said.
So when the women formed a book club, Christmas Happiness was a natural choice for an annual charitable contribution.
“It’s been our tradition,” she said.
Club members read a book each month. Their most recent assignment was “Gone Girl,” a thriller by Gillian Flynn.
Don’t tell Kelly the ending. She’s not quite finished yet.
Bring contributions to the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or mail them to The Salisbury Post Christmas Happiness Fund, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145-4639.
Make checks payable to the Christmas Happiness Fund and indicate how you wish your donations to be listed.

Brown Bag Readers Book Club . $90
In memory of my husband, Larry Parrish and my sister, Cindy Eagle by Nancy Parrish  …$100.
 In honor of Keenage Club of Salem Lutheran  $50.
In honor of our friends and neighbors in Milford Hills by Church and Liz Friedrich  .. $250.
In loving memory of Anita Taylor Stone, Chuck Taylor and Kathryn Edmond $150.
In appreciation for all the love, prayers and support for Lillie Edwards  $200.
In honor of our wonderful employees, Shirley McHearson, Beverly Jordan, Dottie Moose, Patricia Mortz, Dustin Floyd, Kim Andres and Jamie Byerly by and in memory of Kimmie Myers by Wife for Hire  $200.
Dr. and Mrs. Charles Steinman  $100.
In memory of Ray and Irene McCombs  $100.
In honor of Rosia Rose and Jean Lambert, Love Ya Cathy by Mary Anthony  $20.
Yadkin UM Church  $25.
Merry Christmas Nash, Velinda and Ziggy by Ott and Julie .. $25.
Earl C. Wilkinson  $100.
In loving memory of our parents, Claude and Martha Trexler by Wayne and Doris Trexler, Carolyn and Royce Thomason, Deannie and Kyle Ribelin and Gayle and Don Weddington     $100.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene A. Bozay  $100.
In memory of my husband, Osco Basinger  by Barbara Basinger  $25.
In loving in memory of Jerry L. Barrow, Sr. by Christine Barrow, Jennifer Barrow Crouch and Family  $50.
Art and Lynn Bolick  $250.
In loving memory of our parents, Lillian Shoaf and Mary and George Blankenship by Bill and Becky Shives  $100.
In loving memory of Rita Gagliardi by John and Ruth Gagliardi  $50.
In loving memory of C.A. and Mallie Osborne, Imogene Perry, Eugene (Buck) Osborne by Tom and Betty Link  $50.
In loving memory of F.Y. and Sadie Link, Bill Link and Junior Link by Tom and Betty Link ..$50.
Gloria Dei WELCA  $25.
In memory of Sam Moore and Tom McDaniel on behalf of Bill and Laverne Webb  $50.
In loving memory of my wife, Melene by Glenn  $25.
Robyn James  $95.
In memory of Al Boulus by his wife Thelma, his children and grandchildren Sandy, Dan, Shai, Mike, Albert and Ian  $100.
In memory of our daughter, Debbie and Sara Fowler Anderson by Lind and Gordon Shermer  $200.
 
Total $2,680.
Running total $38450.01