SALISBURY — The Yost cousins have given to the Christmas Happiness Fund for so long that Mitzi Goodman isn’t quite sure when they started.

Goodman is the chief organizer of the Yost family’s yearly gift to the Christmas Happiness Fund, which is used by the local Salvation Army to provide Christmas gifts to children in need.

For Goodman, who doesn’t have brothers or sisters, the cousins are more like siblings, gathering often for birthdays and holidays and to see family members. They frequently saw each other when visiting grandparents as children. The annual Yost gift memorializes family members who have died since the start of the donations more than 40 years ago — when grandparents Lewis and Lala Yost died.

“We are so blessed that our cousins and remaining uncle still gather for Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays,” Goodman said.

She says they’ve only missed donating in 2020 because of COVID-19.

In addition to giving in memory of much-loved family members, the Yost cousins this year also gave in honor of Larry Frick.

Contributions can be brought to the Salisbury Post, located at 131 West Innes St., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or mailed to Christmas Happiness, c/o Salisbury Post, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145. Checks can be made payable to Christmas Happiness Fund. Donations can also be placed in the Salisbury Post front door mail slot.

Contributions received after Christmas help start next year’s fund.

The latest donations are as follows:

• In honor of Larry Frick and in memory of Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Yost, Evelyn and Dupree Stone, Jack and Peggy Yost, Buddy and Mildred Yost, Frances and Tom Wilson, Edith and John Mesimore, Anne and Gene Wilson, Sue Frick, Ronnie Yates, Sr., Jerry Parker, Sonny Bolmon, and Thomas Honeycutt by the Yost Cousins, $156

• Anonymous donation in honor of Julie and Ron Howard, $100

• In memory of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Hall by Leonard Hall, $50

• In memory of James and Ruby Goodman by the Goodman Family, $500

• Donation by the Pairs and Spares Sunday School class of First United Methodist Church, $270

• In memory of Clancy Bostian by Ann Stoner Bostian, $100

• In memory of Lucy by Benny and Harry, $10.46

• In loving memory of Dennis Sims by Dorothy Sims, $100

• In honor of the teachers at Overton, Knox and Salisbury High by Hannah Thompson and Anna Claire Hauser, $200

• In honor of our friends in the Greens at the Crescent by David and Charlotte Hall, $100

• In memory of our beloved son, Scott Robinson, by John and Lucy Robinson, $200

• Donation by the Women of the Moose, $50

• In memory of Melvin K. Morgan by Betty M. Morgan, $100

• In memory of Marian White, Harvey White, and Harvey White, Jr. by Fonda Kirk, Cheryl and Mark Smyre, and Bonita and Chester Robinson, $100

• In memory of my mother Virginia Morgan Poole and my brother Thomas Clark Poole by Ann Poole Weatherford, $50

• In memory of our sweet uncle and friend, Justin Monroe, and of our granddad and friend, Eddie Monroe, by Caroline and Rob Monroe and Abby and Corbin Smith, $40

Daily total: $4,336.46

Running total: $32,932.47