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Oct. 7 Fundraiser For Former St. Pete Swimmer Wounded in Afghanistan

Posted Sep 29, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Sep 29, 2011 at 06:13 PM

The folks at St. Petersburg Aquatics and the St. Petersburg Masters, are holding a fundraiser Oct. 7 for a SPA swimmer recently injured in Afghanistan.

Navy Lt. Brad Snyder sustained multiple facial injuries while conducting a dismounted patrol. Snyder, who also swam at the U.S. Naval Academy, is recuperating at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, according to a Facebook posting about the fundraiser.

Snyder is undergoing “many surgeries to treat extensive burns and facial injuries,” according to the posting. He is “surrounded by his loved ones; his mother Valarie, his brother Russell, his sister Elyse, and his aunt and her family” according to the Sounding The Horne blog.

According to the Facebook posting, creating by SPM:

SPA and SPM are joining together to give support to Brad and his family during this very difficult time. Fred is asking anyone that would like to donate to this cause to please give checks, made out to SPA, or cash to him and he will send it with Haley and Heather Skaggs (also former SPA swimmers) when they visit Brad and his family this weekend. If you do not see Fred on the pool deck, please give to me or leave in the SPM mailbox in an envelope indicating that it is for Brad.

SPA and SPM are also joining together to host the “Wounded Warrior Fundraiser” to be held on Friday, Oct. 7th, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the First Friday gathering in downtown St. Pete. The Downtown Optimist group has kindly allowed our groups to run the beer truck that night and the income from that will be donated to Brad and his family. If you would like to volunteer to help work the beer truck, please e-mail Rebecca Hansen at rebecca_trompke@yahoo.com. If you cannot help out, or if we get enough volunteers, just come out and support the cause - bring your friends and family too! The more people we have there, the more money we raise to help the Snyder family.

I will have a card at the pool, both morning and afternoon practices, for all to sign. Please take a moment to do that Thursday or Friday. As always, I know that I can count on our swimming family to come through in this time of need, and Fred and I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help out.