By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Frances Edwards has been continuing her mother’s tradition of giving to the Christmas Happiness Fund in memory of her sister, Anita Taylor Stone, who died 41 years ago.

Edwards and her mother, Charlotte Taylor, 99, had always donated as a tribute to Stone, who died at the age of 33.

“She was always somebody who cared about other people,” Edwards said of her sister.

The mother-daughter duo then began adding people they wanted to pay tribute to who have since passed away including Kathryn Edmond, a family friend, as well as Edwards’ granddaughter Lillie, who died six years ago and her father, Chuck Taylor.

“This is how we honor them at Christmas. It’s helping people that need some help,” Edwards said.

Her mother had always donated to the fund even when Edwards was a young girl.

“It started when I was a child and I’ve always enjoyed reading it. It’s something special we do at Christmas,” she said.

“This is always been a little bit special to me and my mother. We just kept it going,” Edwards said.

Christmas Happiness supports local children who may not receive gifts for Christmas. The donations are contributed by the community, collected at the Salisbury Post and distributed by the Salvation Army of Rowan County.

Contributions to the Christmas Happiness Fund 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. Please make checks payable to Christmas Happiness and indicate how you want your donation listed.

Today’s contributions are:

In memory of Jim Harris by Peggy and James Harris — $20

In honor of our members and teachers by Everyman’s Bible Class, First Presbyterian Church — $200

In memory of Todd Kimball on his birthday December 8^th 51 years old and in memory of Grandmother and Grandaddy by  Nana and Papa — $151

In loving memory of our parents: Hoytt and Ann Heilig and Robert and Helen Sloop by Jerry and Dianne Heilig — $100

In loving memory of Anita Taylor Stone, Kathryn Edmond, Chuck Taylor and Lillie Edwards by Frances Edwards and Charlotte Taylor — $200

In memory of “Buck” and our parents and in honor of our grandchildren: Will, Neely, Miranda, Tyler and their parents: Mike and Trisha Belk and Sara and Kent Holloway.  By  C.W. Belk — $200

In honor of Alice Mitchell for all her hard work by the Rowan County Senior Democrats — $100

James and Nina — $100

In memory of my husband Ray E. Hollowell by Libby Hollowell — $50

In memory of Margaret and John Allison by Lee Ann and Jim Christy — $100

In honor of Allison, Jack, Jackson and Eva Margaret Egbert by Lee Ann and Jim Christy — $100

In memory of Dewey and Julia Miller by Judy Miller — $25

In memory of WL and Georgia Furr, R.G. and Wilma Watson, Sylvia Webb and Douglas Furr by Pat Watson — $100

Total — $1,446.00

Running Total — $15,815.76

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.