Helping others plus remembering the sacrifices that others have made to support him are reasons why Mike Thompson of Salisbury feels it is important to give and support community projects, which he said depend on the generosity of the community.

The fund, Thompson said, goes to help others in the community, and while he said there are “many generous people in Rowan County, I feel like I need to do my part as well in the community.” And, giving to the Christmas Happiness Fund is one such project he said he could donate to and through it serve the community.

Having donated to the fund since 2017, with the exception of one year when he reached out to help another charity, Thompson said that the Christmas Happiness Fund helps to let children know someone is concerned about them, and to know that “somebody did care, someone went to the trouble to give. It shows that somebody cares and that God cares,” he said.

Through the years of giving, one donation has been made in memory of John and Betty Thompson by their children, which he said is given because he deeply loved his parents and they sacrificed so much for him.

As a young child, Thompson had aplastic anemia and said, “my parents sacrificed a lot in order to get me the help that I needed.”

Later, he developed a visual impairment and battled these problems for years, and his parents were there supporting him and providing that help he needed.

But it wasn’t just him that they were always supporting, Thompson said, but they were there for all the family members “in whatever endeavors we went into,” whether it was military service, entering college or whatever they encountered.

“I just feel that it’s important to continue to give in their names, to keep their memory alive because of the sacrifices they made for us, to show that I truly appreciate those sacrifices,” he said.

Thompson also selected to give in memory of Dr. John Robert Crawford III, who was his eye doctor for 40 years.

He wanted to remember him because of the quality care and great advice he received, plus the fact that he felt safe and like a part of the family when he went to Crawford’s office.

“You felt the love when you came in,” Thompson said, and he went “out of his way to help me,” as he shared two examples of the doctor’s care and concern.

One, Thompson said, was when he was in a car accident and Crawford showed up at the hospital to make sure no serious damage had been done to his eyes.

“He didn’t have to do that, but he chose to do that,” he said.

Thompson said he was good about making eye appointments, but he missed one, and the office called several places to find him and check on him, making sure he was OK.

Because he missed the appointment, he said he felt like he still owed them and paid them, but they returned the money when he arrived, “and I thought that showed that they really cared.”

Therefore, to keep Crawford’s memory alive, Thompson continues to give a gift to remember him each year as well.

Those that give to help a charitable organization donate because they care about people and want them to know they are loved, he said, as he thought about how God has been good to us in many ways, providing the things that we need, and it is our “duty to share these gifts with others.”

The need is great, and “no gift is too small because it does make a difference” in the eyes of God and in the lives of others, Thompson said. “Any happiness you bring to somebody else is worth far more than what you gave.”

Donations can be dropped off at the Salisbury Post’s office at 131 W. Innes Street or by mail at Christmas Happiness Fund ℅ Salisbury Post, P.O. Box 4639 Salisbury, NC 28145. Cash and checks are accepted, but the Salisbury Post cannot accept credit or debit card donations.

The current running total is $18,468

Recent contributions include:

• In memory of former pastor Rev. Larry Diehl, by Circle #7, First United Church of Christ — $100

• In honor of Cooper and Caroline, by Ben and Susan — $50

• In memory and honor of family and friends, by Jane Rowland — $125

• In memory of of Jimi White, love and miss you, by Gloria White, Jake, Chelsea, Ruby Ellenburg — $100

• In memory of Nellie and Arthur Trexler, Elton Trexler and Shirley Loflin, by Kenneth Trexler — $1,000

• In honor of our children and grandchildren, by Rikki and Rebecca Spencer — $200

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

• In honor of our granddaughters Skylar and Calleigh Reavis and Madison Long, by Fred and Mary Long — $100

• In memory of Norde Wilson, by Enkay Properties — $100

• Michelle Smith — $40

• In memory of Carl Marlin, Herbert Ijames and Albert Stout Jr., by Western Star Lodge #9 — $100

• In memory and honor of all veterans past, present and future, by Amvets Post 565 — $50

• Sunday Afternoon Regulars at Corbin Hill Golf Club — $4,305