SALISBURY — With less than two weeks to go until Santa makes his rounds, the Salisbury Post’s Christmas Happiness Fund has raised nearly $15,000.

The annual drive has taken place since 1952, when then-Salisbury Post editor Spencer Murphy and Lucille Donnelly, head of the Rowan County Welfare Department put their heads together to try and improve the holiday season for less fortunate families in the community. 

Upon hearing that many families did not have enough money to buy their children gifts, Murphy enlisted Post readers to help. 

During the first year, the community raised nearly $2,000. As Rowan County’s population increased throughout the years, so has the need for assistance, since more and more families struggle to afford holiday gifts for their children. 

The process to donate is simple. Individuals donate to the Christmas Happiness Fund, which is collected by the Salisbury Post. Typically, donations are made in honor or memory of someone. 

All of the funds that the Post collects are given to the Rowan County Salvation Army, which issues gift cards to families to buy presents. Recipients register in advance through the Christmas Bureau, which hosts an application drive where families apply for multiple programs, including Christmas Happiness and the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. 

Donation forms have already started appearing in the newspaper. Any contributions collected after the drive concludes are rolled over into next year’s fund. 

Contributions can be brought to the Salisbury Post, located at 131 W. Innes St., weekdays from 10 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 and donations can also be placed in the Salisbury Post front door mail slot.

 

Donations made since last week include: 

• In memory of Todd Kimball, John and Catherine Kimball by Lee and Libby Holman — $25

• Dr. and Mrs Charles T Steinman — $200

• In loving memory of my husband Robert K Cobb and mother Alda Davies by Sandra Cobb — $200

• Christian Reid Book Club — $150

• In loving memory of my wife Betty Hoffman Arey by Johnny Arey — $100

• In memory of John and Betty Thompson by their children — $50

• In memory of Robert Wall by Ed Oberle and Mary Beth Walker — $50

• In memory of Sidney and Scotty Blume and my sister, Margaret Douglas by Betty Blume — $50

• Peripatetic Reviewers Book Club — $100

• In memory of Michael Leonard Daniel by D. Daniel — $50

• In memory of Samuel, Virginia and Kerry Bradshaw by Nelson and Rosemary Bradshaw — $100

• In loving memory of our wonderful grandparents, Floyd and Dot Burton by Drew and Chris Roseman and Bubba and Megan Morris — $50

• In memory of Chip Bridges by Johnny and Delores Morris — $50

• In honor if Debbie Suggs by Johnny and Delores Morris — $50

• In honor of Carolyn Rogers by Anonymous — $112.01

• Union Lutheran Church Adult Sunday School — $50

• In memory of SGM Hubert R Ijames Jr. by Adine Ijames — $100

• In memory of Virginia and Tom Poole, John Rink and Steve Weatherford by Ann Weatherford — $100

• Michelle P Smith — $40

Total: $2,306.01

Running Total  $13,223.01