SALISBURY — The Salvation Army of Rowan County has someone new at the helm.

Captain Teresa Bush, who came to the area from division headquarters in Charlotte from the women’s department, began her new position locally at the end of June. Serving as the commanding officer, Bush oversees its church, the congregation, social services, food pantry and family store, “everything that deals with the Salvation Army in Salisbury,” she noted.

During this season, the Salvation Army partners with others to help make Christmas brighter for children in the area through the Christmas Happiness program and the Angel Tree. To participate in either program, Bush said the families “have to provide that there is a need.”

They check if the family has Medicaid or food stamps, and most do, she pointed out. If they already have them, “we know that there is a need.”

And, if they don’t have either, the families will see one of their social workers and go over various things including finances, which would determine if they are eligible to be a part of the program.

At this point, families are given the option of participating in either the Christmas Happiness or Angel Tree programs. After they learn of the differences in the two, families make their choice and are signed up.

With the Christmas Happiness fund, families receive a $100 Walmart gift card per child, an amount decided on by United Way.

Donations, which are generally given in memory or honor of someone, are collected by the Salisbury Post and given to the Salvation Army. These funds go to purchasing the gift cards for the families to buy presents.

Bush shared how amazing and rewarding it is to be able to help and just “seeing that the families are able to receive something on Christmas.”

She concluded by expressing her gratitude for the help of the community “being available and supporting the people in our community. The United Way has been a great partnership with us coming on board and working together and serving those in need in our community.”

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 collected since Tuesday:

• In memory of Todd Kimball on his 56th birthday, Dec. 8 by Mom and Dad, Tommy and Carlene Kimball — $156

• Merry Christmas from Arnold and Brenda Herring — $100

• In honor of Arnold and Brenda Herring by Preston Herring — $100

• In memory of our son Jeff McKnight by M D and Mary Ann McKnight — $100

• In memory of our parents Claude and Ruth Benson and Mark and Wilma McKnight by M D and Mary Ann McKnight — $200

• In loving memory of Barbara Baker Sims and Alice Cohen Waddell by the Lunch Bunch Girls of Boyden High Class of 1955 — $300

• Henderson Grove Missionary Baptist Church Ushers Ministry — $211

• In honor of our class members by Everyman’s Bible Class — $500

• In memory of my parents James and Anne Harrison by David Harrison — $50

• In honor of the employees past and present of Rowan Vocational Opportunities by Barry Stokes — $50

• In memory of Hoyt and Ann Heilig by Tony and Patty Heilig — $100

• In memory of Earl and Mary Sain  by Tony and Patty Heilig — $100

• In memory of my husband Sonny Lippard by Nancy Lippard and family — $25

• R D and W B Snell — $50

• In loving memory of Jane Benton Kale, Mr. and Mrs. Don Benton and Mr. and Mrs. Loyd Gaskey by Keith and Darlene Kale and Vickie Bean — $150

• In honor of the Sunday School Teachers at St. Luke’s Church by Brownie Fisher Class — $50

 

Total — $2,242

Running total — $8,527