Pitts: Salvation Army, The Fayetteville Observer kick off Bill Shaw Christmas fund

It is that time of year.

The Bill Shaw Salvation Army Christmas Fund has officially kicked off and you will hear about it each week in The Fayetteville Observer and fayobserver.com.

My regular readers know I have been here at the newspaper for many years. The Bill Shaw fund, which helps families in our community during the holidays and throughout the year, is one of the things we do that make me the most proud.

Our partnership with the Salvation Army of the Sandhills has been in place since 1923. (You read that right.) It is named after the late Observer photographer Bill Shaw, who managed the fund for so many years.

The Bill Shaw fund makes me not just proud of the paper, but even more proud of the community. There are few better examples of how people around here come together to help those who are less fortunate.

As usual, we will publish a running tally of all those who donate (and who do not wish to remain anonymous.) The fund usually draws many donors, from individuals to churches to organizations to nonprofits — last year our community raised $126,000 to benefit the Salvation Army.

News director Beth Hutson and I recently went to the Salvation Army offices in downtown Fayetteville and met with Maj. Tom Grider, who manages the Salvation Army with his wife, Cheryl, and Kris Phillips, the community relations coordinator. We heard directly from them about what this organization does and what it needs to do it. And believe me: Every penny helps.

The cold nights we have had lately are a reminder of one critically important need the Salvation Army fills: It provides shelter for the homeless on “white flag” nights when the temperature dips below freezing.

The Salvation Army also serves food every day at its shelter and conducts disaster relief when hurricanes like Florence and Matthew come through. It also runs an after-school program for children.

There is a reason the organization is officially called The Salvation Army of the Sandhills: It serves Cumberland,  Robeson, Hoke, Moore, Scotland and Harnett counties.

Of course, during the holidays, the Salvation Army provides gifts to brighten the hearts of children, as well as help their parents during tough times financially.

As we celebrate our blessings for another Thanksgiving, while solemnly recognizing that for some this is also a season of loss, I look forward to our community stepping up once again to help others.

I know we will.

Write your tax-deductible check to the Bill Shaw Salvation Army Christmas Fund and mail it to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 110, Fayetteville, NC 28302 or drop it off between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 220 E. Russell St., Fayetteville, NC 28301. You can also donate online at salvationarmysandhills.org.

Here’s our first list of donors. You are all appreciated by those who will be helped and by the organizers of the fund.

Strickland Bridge Church of God: $100

Richard Simpson: $50

Jerry Bowden: $20

Edward Tyndall: $20

Phillip Sorie: $10

Jo Tudor: $20

Lana Harrington: $25

Fatima Freeman: $20

Michael Blair: $35

Janet Jones: $200

Wayne Marshburn: $200

Dessie Murray Leggett: $10

Sharon Soderena: $25

Edna Cummings: $150

Linda Auman: $35

Martha Wicks: $200

Jon Bolles: $5

Norma Kilpatrick: $200

William Rapp: $50

Anonymous: $481

This week's total: $1,856

Grand total: $1,856

Myron Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Salvation Army, Fayetteville Observer kick off Bill Shaw fund