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Every year for nearly a century, the Suffolk News-Herald Cheer Fund has raised money to bring joy to local families during the holiday season.

This effort started during the Great Depression, bringing in money for food for needy families. Eventually, the effort switched to providing new toys for children whose families needed a little extra help, and it has been that way ever since.

Every year in recent memory, the Cheer Fund has collected more than $40,000 to help with this effort. This year, as you could see with the update on the front page of Sunday’s paper, we collected $41,631 this year, meeting the goal.

Capt. Angel Simmons of the Salvation Army Suffolk Corps said the Salvation Army’s Christmas programs, partially supported by the money from the Cheer Fund, supported 2,663 children this year. Those were children who otherwise would not have had anything under the tree on Christmas Day without the kindheartedness of hundreds of Suffolk individuals, families, groups and businesses.
Margie Wiley, head elf and board member for the Cheer Fund, had this to say upon learning the news of the goal being met: “​​I am once again completely blown away by the love our city shows our needy families and children at Christmas time. Each year we look to our community for support and each year our citizens open up their hearts. Thank you to all who gave and donated so that every child could have a Merry Christmas.”

The Suffolk News-Herald echoes our thankfulness for the generous donations we received this year. This community comes through again and again for our neighbors, and it’s always a sight to behold.

Thank you, Suffolk.