Helen and Ralph Brown honor cystic fibrosis yard sale donors and volunteers with Christmas Happiness contribution
Published 12:17 am Thursday, December 14, 2017
- Illustration by Mark Brincefield
SALISBURY — Twice a year, Helen and Ralph Brown organize and host yard sales to raise money for cystic fibrosis programs, a fundraiser they’ve taken on for the past 14 years.
The couple spend months acquiring items and many more months preparing the items for sale.
The couple began the project after their grandchildren were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. They say they couldn’t make it all happen without donors who give items to sell and the 25 or more volunteers who help set up the sale.
The Browns made a $100 donation to the Christmas Happiness Fund in honor of both their donors and volunteers.
The Christmas Happiness Fund is a program that has been around since the early 1950s. It was started after the late Spencer Murphy asked the Rowan County community to dig into their pockets to see that local children who would not have received much for Christmas could get some gifts.
The Salisbury Post collects the donations and those contributions are turned over to the Salvation Army of Rowan County. The local organization distributes vouchers that are used at a local business to eligible families where parents are able to buy gifts for their children.
“I wouldn’t be able to have them if I didn’t have the donors to give me things to sell and the volunteers,” Helen Brown said.
She and her husband have a yard sale in May and October and most recently have taken on estate sales throughout the year. Some people have donated items to the Browns after their loved ones have died.
“They take all they want and give me their contents,” she said.
The Browns have given to the Christmas Happiness Fund for a number of years.
“We feel especially blessed that we are able to do it. My grandchildren are doing well. We like to think this yard sale has helped these children and others with cystic fibrosis,” Helen said.
Contributions to Christmas Happiness may be delivered to the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or mailed to Salisbury Post Christmas Happiness Fund, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145-4639. Make checks payable to Christmas Happiness Fund and indicate how you want your donation listed.
Today’s contributions are: