Angel Trees up, canned food drive ready to begin

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 24, 2015

By Elizabeth Cook

Salisbury Post

Capt. NaKisha Carr of the Salvation Army was busy Monday, decorating Angel Trees with, of course, angels.

She was also looking for businesses and agencies that would be willing to put out barrels for the Salvation Army’s White Christmas Canned Food Drive.

First, the angels on the trees. Actually, they’re little slips of paper that look like angels, with valuable information on the back — the gender and age of a child whose family has requested help. The tag also lists the child’s needs or wants and clothing sizes. The majority need clothing most of all.

People who choose tags from the tree and buy gifts for the children are asked to drop off the unwrapped presents — with the angel tags — at the Salvation Army on Bringle Ferry Road by Dec. 15.

Some 780 angel tags are going on the trees this week, and 400 to 450 more will be added after the last application day, Dec. 5.

With Thanksgiving coming up Thursday, Carr said she’s afraid she’s already behind this Christmas season. She and her husband, Capt. Bobby Carr, arrived here in June, coming from El Dorado, Ark., and they’ve been catching up on all the programs and activities of the Salisbury Corps.

The iconic Red Kettle drive started two weeks ago. Angel Trees are going up this week. And NaKisha is eager to get out barrels for the canned food drive; in fact, she wishes she’d started the drive earlier this month. “We’re massively behind,” she said.

So she’s asking anyone who’s willing to collect canned goods for the Salvation Army to give her a call at 704-636-6491. “We’ll deliver barrels to wherever people want,” NaKisha said.

The Salvation Army provides Christmas assistance in the form of Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need.

The Carrs have been active officers with The Salvation Army for 13 years. Both are ordained ministers and pastors of the Salisbury Corps.