Ohio veteran helping veterans and first responders with healing honeybees
Travis Snyder of Greenfield, Ohio has not only served his country, he’s serving others who have fought for it.
And he’s doing it with honeybees.
In 2024 Travis helped form Frontline Hives, a non-profit organization that helps veterans, first responders and their families get started in beekeeping, a U.S. Veteran’s Administration approved therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The organization provides a free six-week program that trains attendees in the basics of beekeeping. After completing the course, Frontline Hives provides them with a fully furnished beehive including the bees and starts the hive.
LRE is a primary sponsor of Frontline Hives, providing funding through the company’s LRE Foundation. With that funding, Frontline Hives has trained more than 50 veterans and first responders in beekeeping and is now expanding its reach beyond Ohio.
Travis is 17-year Ohio Air National Guard veteran who served in Afghanistan and currently holds the rank of Technical Sergeant. Due to his service, Travis suffered with PTSD, a mental health condition that can cause crippling anxiety and other life-changing symptoms.
Travis and his oldest daughter Addie initially decided to start beekeeping as a hobby. Travis eventually formed ABC Honey, an organization that supports sustainability by providing and managing bees at solar farms. ABC Honey currently has more than 50 hives and 3 million bees supporting increased flowering plants, cleaner air, and soil erosion prevention at LRE’s Big Plain Solar facility in Madison County, Ohio.
Frontline Hives was born from Travis’ recognition that working with bees offered much more than just a pastime. Beekeeping offered a therapeutic outlet for his own PTSD symptoms. So, he combined his passion for beekeeping with his military background to share hope, healing, and bees with others.
“I was prescribed medication for PTSD-related issues,” Travis said. “But I found working with bees was much more effective in helping me find my center. The bees changed my life and with Frontline Hives we’re providing the opportunity to positively change the lives of others too.”
LRE’s sponsorship of the beekeeping program was an easy decision, according to Brooke Akins, LRE’s Sr. Manager of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). “Supporting Frontline Hives aligns perfectly with our mission to positively impact the communities we serve. Veterans and first responders are essential members of those communities, and contributing to their health and well-being is a core focus of LRE. At the same time, we’re supporting local beekeeping efforts that strengthen pollination and promote ecosystem health – delivering lasting environmental and community benefits. We’re proud to stand behind Travis and the mission of Frontline Hives.”
Travis is working to promote Frontline Hives throughout Ohio and other states including Texas, and even recently presented Ohio Governor Mike DeWine with a bottle of honey harvested at LRE’s Big Plain Solar.
“The response to Frontline Hives has been overwhelming,” added Travis. “It shows there are veterans and first responders out there who are looking for support. We’re excited to keep growing the program and positively impact as many veterans, first responders and law enforcement personnel as possible.”
“We have so many veterans reaching out to us about Frontline Hives,” added Michael Dailey, an Ohio National Guard member who served several tours in the Middle East. As a member of the Board of Directors for Frontline Hives, Michael says he’s seen the positive impact the program has had.
“I’ve seen a huge impact on some of the veterans and first responders we’ve worked with through Frontline Hives.” he said. “We recently dropped off a hive to a veteran and the look on his face was priceless, he was so excited to begin the journey of beekeeping. That just confirmed to me that we’re doing the right thing.”
“There are veterans and first responders out there who are hurting,” added Travis. “If we can help them heal through beekeeping, I consider that an honor and a privilege.”
About LRE
LRE (Leeward Renewable Energy) is a high-growth renewable energy company forging a sustainable future through integrity, innovation, and positive impact. We own and operate over 30 large wind, solar, and energy storage projects across the United States, totaling over 4 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity.
LRE has an ambitious goal of 10GW of operating assets by 2028 and is developing and contracting an increasing pipeline of new projects every year. We take a full-lifecycle approach to our projects, built on a long-term ownership model and a company culture dedicated to our community partners and protecting the environment. LRE is a portfolio company of OMERS Infrastructure, an investment arm of OMERS, one of the largest defined pension plans in Canada, with C$128.6 billion in net assets (as of Dec 31, 2023). For more information, visit www.lreus.com.
