Staff report

SALISBURY — Representatives of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and Powles Staton Funeral Home will collect new toys as gifts for military families from noon Friday to 8 p.m. Sunday at the front entrance to Walmart.

The effort is part of Operation Toy Soldier, a nationwide not-for-profit program. New, unwrapped toys collected in Rowan County will be distributed to N.C. military families before Christmas.

Last year, Powles Staton Funeral Home — with the help of the Sheriff’s Office, the Register of Deeds Office and many others — collected 5,664 toys that were distributed to family members of active-duty N.C. National Guard members through its Family Readiness Program.

Throughout the year, the Rockwell-based funeral home accepts contributions for Operation Toy Soldier. It has many collection barrels in place around the county, makes a “Christmas in July” push for toys, and also accepts toy contributions at its occasional appreciation meals for military veterans and law enforcement.

Besides the special weekend at Walmart, unwrapped (new) toys can be dropped off at the following Rowan County locations by Dec. 15:

• Powles Staton Funeral Home in Rockwell.

• Carolina Cremation in Salisbury.

• Rowan County Sheriff’s Office in Salisbury.

• Rowan County Register of Deeds Office in Salisbury.

• Salisbury Eyecare and Eyewear.

• Salisbury Square Antiques.

• Veterans Coffee in Salisbury.

• Crescent Pharmacy in Rockwell.

• Hot Dog Shack in Granite Quarry.

• Made Man Barber Shop in Salisbury.

• Sidewalk Deli in Salisbury.

• Granite Quarry Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

• Mc ‘N’ Tires in Rockwell.

• First Bank in Salisbury.