The Palmetto Base is dedicated to community improvement and raising the awareness of the contribution of submarine veterans.  Here are some of the projects that we have been involved with or are currently working on:

Projects

Kap(SS) 4 Kid(SS)

http://www.ussvi.org/Kaps4Kids.asp

The Newest project that the Palmetto Base is undertaking is "Kap(SS) 4 Kid(SS)".  This is a program for distributing ball caps to girls and boys undergoing cancer treatment in local hospitals.  The child will be given a certificate with their name stating they are an honorary submariner.  They will be given a photograph of a submarine and a ball cap (pink or blue) with dolphins embroidered on the front and the words honorary submariner.

Don VanBorsch is the coordinator for this project and can be contacted at 803-794-2627 or dvanborsch@palmetto-subvets.org for further information. 

The Palmetto Base is looking for donations for purchasing the caps and paying for the certificates, photos and frames.  Anyone interested contact 

Make checks out to "USSVI Palmetto Base"  Put "Kaps for Kids" in memo

Brian Steffen

271 Horse Pond Road

Elloree, SC  29407-9527

bsteffen@palmetto-subvets.org

Photos from Kap(SS) for Kid(SS) fund raiser at Jamil Temple Gun Show

Gibbs Memorial Restoration - Lexington, SC

This project is a joint venture with SCarchaeology, a non-profit corporation organized to explore what is happening in the field of archaeology and history that has gone unnoticed.  Lonnie Franklin, the founder of SCarchaeology, is also a submariner and proposed the joint effort of the Palmetto Base and SCarchaeology to restore the Gibbs Memorial in Lexington, SC.  The memorial is located in the Saint Stephens Lutheran Church cemetery on Church Street.  The USSVI Palmetto Base has held memorial services for the surviving family of Robert Gibbs just prior to the last two Veteran's Day Parades in Lexington.  See pictures on our photo page.

Robert Gibbs died when the Squalus was lost May 23rd, 1939.  The story of the Sqalus was told in the book "The Terrrible Hours".  See our book report page for details.  The memorial is a marble headstone adorned with a marble submarine.  The submarine had brass and bronze details such as an anchor, deck chain and propellers.  Time and vandalism has taken its toll on the memorial.  All the metal parts are currently missing.  This joint effort project will restore the memorial to its original condition.  Keep an eye on the website for updates as we get underway on the project.

You can see the memorial on Google street view if you put in the GPS coordinates 33.984146, -81.235912 and look NW.  The memorial is 70 feet down the concrete walkway on the left, just before the circle.  You can see the submarine on the headstone in Google maps!

Parade Float Project

We have started a project to make an improved parade float to replace our current float.  The current float is a 2D wooden cutout mounted on a car trailer (See float construction in the photo gallery).  The new float will be more realistic (made from old propane tanks) and mounted on a much larger trailer that will allow more seating.  Pictures and design to follow.  This project is being funded by donations.  If you can help out financially or by donating some time please contact Jim Stark (Float Project Leader).

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