The saying often goes, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but rather how you play the game.” While that may be true, it’s always nice to be part of a project that wins — and in this case — wins in style.

As a relatively new member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, I have spent the past couple of months becoming much more familiar with the programs the organization offers, the number of lives the charity touches and the impact it truly has on the Selma community and our nation as a whole.

In early November, the Salvation Army, in conjunction with partners at WDXX and WHBB and The Selma Times-Journal organized a radio blitz to help find families, businesses and individuals to adopt angels off the Angel Tree.

In years past, officials with the Salvation Army had grown more and more nervous as the number of days left to adopt angels quickly dwindled as the number of angels remaining on the tree remained quite large.

Only in the final days of the campaign did groups like WDXX and WHBB get involved and call on the community to respond. And, thankfully, each time the community responded and the angels were adopted.

This year, it was fantastic to see everyone start early, come together and adopt each of the more than 600 angels long before the deadline. The presents came in on time and those children will wake up Christmas morning and celebrate the day as children their age all over the world will do.

I was also part of a group from the Times-Journal to spend Friday, Dec. 2 in front of Walmart ringing the bell for the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle campaign.

It is something I have done many times before, but it is something I always seem to enjoy every time I get the chance.

Members of the staff went out and manned one of the kettles from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and watched as hundreds of area residents flocked by to do some early Christmas shopping, and in nearly every case, someone took out some change, or a dollar and dropped it in the kettle.

It was great to see.

Regardless of how difficult we believe the economic times to be — and yes, they are tough — the giving spirit of those we call our neighbors remains quite inspirational.

I know charities such as the Salvation Army, are facing tough times due to dwindling support, but if this Christmas season has been any indication of the giving power of our community, then I am confident they and other organizations are going to be fine in the long term.

Merry Christmas everyone and may you each have a blessed New Year.