SALISBURY – The Salisbury Police Department is teaming up with local nonprofit Salisbury Santa’s Helpers to give back to the community this holiday season.
On Saturday and Sunday, officers will be in Salisbury Square, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., collecting new and unwrapped toys, gift cards, new sports equipment as well as cash and checks for children in need.
All contributions will go directly to the Salisbury Santa’s Helpers, dedicated to ensuring Christmas gifts will be given to children in need during the holidays.
Salisbury Police Chief Tom Fowler said many of the officers participating in the drive do so off-duty out of love for the town.
“I think it’s important because, as many of the community things we do, it shows officers in a different light. Many of them do this in their off time. So, they care that much about the community that they use some of their precious time off to collect toys and help out with Santa’s Helpers, which I think is important symbolically and personally to the officers,” he said.
Lynn Welch, a Santa’s Helpers board member said the annual drive is helpful to the nonprofit.
“It’s amazing. The Salisbury community is amazing. People step up all the time. And, that toy drive always gets us a lot of extra toys for the children which just means a bigger Christmas bag,” she said.
Fowler praised Santa’s Helpers and said each donation will go to use.
“It is a quality program. And, unlike other programs where their donations may not be 100% used, everything donated gets used,” he said.
Fowler also said each year the drive has been held, the community has come out in full force to support the cause.
“We’ve had an excellent response. The community always steps up during this time of year and it’s an important part of being in Salisbury,” he said.
Welch said donations of any size are encouraged and could make a difference in the lives of local children.
“Any donation matters,” she said. “I think people get hung up on, I can’t give $25 or $50. But, if everybody that lived in the town of Salisbury gave $1, that’s $10,000. Collectively, it adds up. And, I think people tend to feel like they can’t do a lot, so they tend to do nothing. But, $1, $5, it all matters. It all adds up, and it all is able to give us the ability to fulfill these kids’ needs and give them exactly what they want for Christmas,”.