SALISBURY — The 6 a.m. “Up On The Rooftop” toy drive at Krispy Kreme was a cold kick-off Friday.
And a slow one, coordinator Arbe Arbelaez said, until a local family donated two pallets of toys.
That — and the nearby “Hot Now” sign — warmed up the mood, Arbelaez said.
“When they pulled that out,” Arbelaez said of the toys, “everybody started smiling big time. This is phenomenal.”
Salisbury Police Officer Rebecca Sexton is this year’s rooftop cop. She will stay on the roof until the drive ends Sunday around 4 p.m.
“We get excited about it. We know the toys that we’re collecting are going to kids that — if it wouldn’t have been for them taking in the toys — wouldn’t get anything,” Sexton said. “And all the toys that are collected stay in Rowan County. So that’s really good.”
Volunteers will spend the rest of the weekend soliciting donations at the 1428 W. Innes St. Krispy Kreme for the Toys for Tots program, sponsored nationally by the Marine Corps Reserve.
This year’s event marks the sixth annual “Up on the Rooftop” toy drive to be conducted at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts by the Salisbury Police Department. Citizens wishing to support the Toys for Tots cause are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys or monetary gifts.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will remain open 24 hours on both Friday and Saturday in support of the toy drive. Residents can look for the hot doughnut sign to stay on all night and will receive free doughnut coupons as they stop by to donate to Toys for Tots throughout the weekend. In addition, Santa Claus may offer site visits to encourage citizen donations.
Residents may make checks payable to the Toys for Tots Foundation. All monetary donations (including cash, checks and gift cards), will be turned over to the Toys for Tots program for additional toy purchases. Donations for boys and girls, infant to 12 years, will be collected with 100 percent of all donations supporting area children in need.

Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.