By Spencer Dixon

news@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Christmas is a good time to express gratitude toward people who have made an impact on your life.

Members of the Messiah Lutheran Church Adult Sunday School Class are doing that with their traditional gift to Christmas Happiness. The class is honoring Sunday school teachers Carl Eagle and Theresa Safrit, as well as its pastor, the Rev. Don Safrit, by donating $100 to Christmas Happiness.

“We found donating is a good way to honor our teachers,” said Judy Brown. “We have a small congregation, so we love to show appreciation to our members.”

The Sunday school class has been donating to Christmas Happiness for more than 20 years. For the past 10 years, every donation has been in honor of the church’s teachers.

The Christmas Happiness Fund is a Salisbury Post-sponsored program that collects readers’ donations to help children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas gift. The Post turns the money over to the Salvation Army of Rowan County, which distributes vouchers to eligible families to buy gifts for their children. The vouchers may be used to purchase toys and clothing.

If you’d like to contribute, please bring donations 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.

Here are today’s donations:

• In memory of Beryl and Richard, by Jim and Anne, $100.00
• In memory of J.P. Helms and Libby Hoffmire and in honor of their family, by Jim and Anne, $50.00
• In honor of our teachers, Carl Eagle and Theresa Safrit, and Pastor Don Safrit, by the Messiah Lutheran Church Adult Sunday School Class, $100.00
• In honor of Oliver, by Gran, $25.00
• In honor of Rob Arnold and Susan Darnell, $150.00

Today’s total: $425.00

Running total: $1,525.00