By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Sandy Porcari moved to North Carolina from upstate New York and began working for Rowan County Department of Social Services in December 1989.

She’d been a preschool teacher and, although she loved working with children, her job felt stagnant.

Porcari retired last year after 20 years with Rowan DSS as a foster care social worker. This week, Porcari made a contribution to the Christmas Happiness Fund in honor of all foster children.

“They have been through a lot and the stories that they would tell me would break my heart and I wanted to honor them in giving,” she said.

Porcari has been giving for several years. She began working with Rowan DSS because of her passion with foster care and children.

While she worked with foster children, she often bought Christmas gifts for children on her caseload, providing gifts to anywhere from a dozen to 18 children.

The Christmas Happiness Fund is sponsored by the Salisbury Post, which collects contributions. The Salvation Army of Rowan County distributes gift cards. Each day, readers send donations to the Post, often with a heartfelt tribute to a loved one, and the Post lists the names and amounts in the paper.

Contributions 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.

Today’s contributions are:

• In honor of the “Pink Ladies,” Janet Haynes and Ann Edison for their ministry by LP,  $25

• In loving memory of Giorgio and Mercede Porcari and in honor of all foster children by Sandy Porcari, $40

• In honor and in memory of the Class of 1955 Spencer High School, by class members, $300

• In memory of brothers having passed to that house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, by Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge #576, $100

• In loving memory of L. Kenneth Beck, my husband, best friend and love of my life, by Gail Beck, $100

• In honor of teachers at Overton, Knox and Salisbury High by Hannah and Anne Claire, $150

• In memory of Mr. Richard Stoner, by Carolyn R. Roberts, $100

• In memory of Alice Jean Lyerly, from Bettie and Jim Lyerly, $50

• In honor of Greta and Charles Connor, by W. and C. Blackman, $50

• In memory of co-workers at R.W. Normans and other friends, E.E. Lampert, Sr., Ilene Wise, Irene Ritchie, Tripp Lampert, Kathleen Gray, West Spain, Ann Myers, Don Barger, Blanche Lampert, Norman Beaver, Rosemary Spain, Maxine Carlton, Walter Wise and Ruth Cline  by Pocita and Swicy, $20

• In honor of two very special neighbors: Merry Christmas Helen Gordon and Vicky Bennett, by Dottie Rebhan, $25

• In memory of Ludie “Mae” Eller, by Carolyn Hubbard and Family, $50

• In loving memory of our brother Troy Treece, by Curtis Treece and Renda Barrier, $50

• In memory of Norde, Tippie, Barbara, Ann and Judy and in honor of Saylor, Sophie, Sam, Molly, Ella and Graham, by Kay Wilson, $100

• In honor of our Sunday school teachers Debbie Miller and Billie Goodman, from The Arthur Shipton Class, $50

• In memory of Martha Withers and Robert Galyan, love Patricia, Regina and Lorri, $75

• In honor of my travel buddies: Jane, Toni, Libbyt, Teri, Betty Jo, and Rita, by Charlotte Hall, $50

• In memory of Joel and in honor of Steve, Jennifer and Oliver, by Jayne Hubbard, $100

• In memory of past members and in honor of current members of the Golden Rule Men’s Bible Class of the First United Methodist Church of Salisbury, by Golden Rule Men’s Bible Class, $100

Total, $1,535

Running total, $18,241.15

The following Christmas Happiness contributions were made directly to the Salvation Army:

• JF Hurley Foundation — $1,000 in memory of Elizabeth & James F. Hurley

• JF Hurley Foundation — $1,000 in memory of Jimmy Hurley & Hayden Hurley

• Carolyn & Gordon Hurley — $1,000 in memory of Buck Hurley

• Alice & Fred Stanback — $1,000

• Nancy Stanback — $1,000 in memory of Bill Stanback