Submitted By Jerry Huggins, Dillon County Veterans Affairs Officer
Kim L. Snyder, Dillon, has been “beading” (wrist bracelets, necklaces, glass vases, etc.) for a number of years.
Being such a caring and compassionate person she wanted to share her creations with others that maybe needed an “uplifting thought” or an item that would cause them to “remember” someone every time they looked at that “remembrance piece.”
She started making the “patriotic bracelets” to distribute in the local community.
Her first encounter was with a military family (widow and two children) whose husband/ father had died in Afghanistan. The result of giving those bracelets to that family was sincere appreciation. Each time they look at the bracelets they are reminded of their loved one. Kim then made and sold more bracelets at her church and in the community and gave the proceeds of that first sale to the family of the deceased soldier to help in their time of need. That was an impetus to expand her mission beyond just one family.
When Detective (retired) John Cavalante of the New York City Police Department came to Dillon last year to speak about the horrific events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks (he was still in uniform at the time), she provided him with a number of bracelets for him to take back to New York City for the surviving first responders and for the families of those who lost their lives that fateful day.
Since that first “out-of-state shipment” to New York, Kim has cultivated numerous other contacts with military posts (Public Affairs Offices, Family Support Groups), and National Guard units eager to help; they are always looking for something different to help boost the morale of the troops and their families. Just to name a few locations she has sent bracelets to are: Ft. Jackson, SC, Ft. Stewart, GA, Ft. McGuire, NJ, Point Magu Naval Air Station, CA, McIntyre Air National Guard Base, Eastover, SC, Dillon and Mullins National Guard units, NG Unit, Ft. Carson, CO, Ft. Bliss, TX, Eielson Air Force Base, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, Naval Base Ventura County, CA, Ft Myers, VA, Atlanta USO, GA, Ft Bragg, NC, Camp LeJeune, NC, Ft Drum, NY, Ft Campbell, KY. , Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany.
Local churches and businesses, such as doctors’ offices, banks, funeral homes, and florists have helped her to distribute the bracelets to family members in their time of grief. The Dillon County Veterans Affairs Office has also helped her to reach family members of local Veterans’ and active duty personnel who have died. They have also passed Kim’s bracelets out at the annual Memorial Day Ceremony last month and the annual Veterans’ Day ceremony last November. Kim estimates that, to date, she has made approximately 7,000 plus bracelets and
Most have been given away rather than sold. If you have someone in mind that you think would appreciate one of these “Flag Bracelets”, contact Ms. Valerie Graves at the Dillon County Veterans Affairs Office (774-1427) , or stop by (3rd Floor – City-Cnty Complex Bldg.)
Kim is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Snyder, (Capt., USMC, Retired).