The Inv. Holmes N. Smith Jr. Foundation, Inc., successfully completed its pack-a-purse project, delivering over 350 purses to shelters in Clarendon County, Florence County, Sumter County and Columbia.
Churches, businesses, schools and individuals from as far away as Greenville donated purses and items to pack inside.
“We had donations from sororities and churches and from so many individual people,” said Tonia Smith, who created and runs the foundation. “I was very pleased with how everyone helped out.”
In Clarendon County, 25-30 purses were delivered to Haven of Rest, a women’s shelter run by Ann Driggers. Each donated purse was packed with toiletry items, such as toothbrushes and paste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, lip gloss, hair brushes, feminine hygiene items and more.
“I was surprised by the quality of the purses,” said Smith. “There weren’t any I wouldn’t have been proud to carry. And the items donated to put in the purses were nice things people would have used in their own homes.”
Although the project is technically over, purses are still coming in, and Smith is still delivering. She won’t turn the purses away. However, she has turned her sights toward her next project: The Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, which will be held from 1-6 p.m. on December 28 at Manning United Methodist Church.
The Red Cross calls this the most difficult time of year to stock blood stores, and Smith wants to help out. They’re working with the Hometown Heroes to facilitate the blood drive.
This blood drive will be a contest between police and fire supporters to see whose department can bring in the most blood donations. Not only will police officers and fire fighters be credited, but any resident can come in, donate blood and request his or her donation be credited to one side or the other in this friendly rivalry.
Smith is also working with the group of law enforcement officers working with Law Enforcement United, a national organization of law enforcement officers and survivors of fallen law enforcement officers. Each year, the organization facilitates bike rides across the nation, and Clarendon County officers participate each year. The organization also hosts a camp for children of fallen officers, and Smith’s children have participated for the last four years.
Smith is helping the organization with their annual calendar. Ads are sold for the calendar, and a portion of the funds go toward the rides and some to Carolina Cops, which supports survivors in South Carolina. This year, Smith will begin selling ads as early as this month.
Following this event, Smith will be working with the National Concerns of Police Survivors and its state-level organization, Carolina Cops, to participate in the LEAD (Law Enforcement Appreciation Day) event on February 9. While she’s still working on details, she encourages residents to wear blue, put blue ribbons on cars and clothes and, if a business, offer discounts to law enforcement officers on that date.
Smith has other future events in the works and will continue to give her time and her love to Clarendon County as she creates projects which will benefit the community. To learn about these events and others which will be upcoming, visit the foundation’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pg/HNSmithFoundation/events/?ref=page_internal.
