Published: November 19, 2008 11:13 pm      

Station chips in to bring taste of home to troops

Ashland — What do a West Virginia man who loves the Tri-State, the Air Force, South Korea and a local radio station have in common? Would you believe potato chips?

Logan County resident Jonathan Belcher, 23, is serving his country in the Air Force in Seoul, South Korea. As might be expected, being clear across the globe, Belcher misses many things about his life in the United States — family, friends and Snyder of Berlin potato chips.

Belcher’s aunt, Peggy Altizer Mynes of Milton, said it is a very stressful time for U.S. troops, no matter where they are, as they sacrifice the security of home and family.

“We have troops in danger all over the world, not just in Iraq,” Mynes said. “My heart goes out to all of our troops worldwide. It’s important to me that we let them know we’re here thinking of them; they are not forgotten and they are appreciated.”

Mynes has teamed with local radio personality J.B. Miller, program director of WMGA — Magic 97.9 — to turn a show of appreciation into something tangible — bags and bags of Snyder of Berlin potato chips. Miller said Belcher is addicted to Snyder barbecue potato chips, and, in fact, his entire platoon is hooked on them.

“This will be Jon’s fifth holiday away from the area, and Magic 97.9 is collecting chips for the troops,” Miller said. “We’re asking area residents to bring any size package of chips, barbecue being their favorite, to the upcoming Ashland Winter Wonderland of Lights Christmas Parade on Tuesday, Nov. 25.”

Miller said when parade watchers see the Magic 97.9 van in the parade, they simply need to shout to those walking alongside the van. They will, in turn, take the chips and stock them in the van.

“We’re going to give our troops a taste of home this holiday season,” Miller said.

Belcher, who turns 24 today, was born in West Virginia but moved to North Carolina with his family when he was younger, Mynes said. His family is back in West Virginia, and Mynes said when Belcher comes home he loves visiting Ashland to eat at the Texas Roadhouse and then do some shopping.

“Jon never lost his love for Snyder chips and my family has mailed them to him throughout the years,” Mynes said. “Any time they returned to West Virginia, my sister would have to stop the car for Jon’s cravings as soon as they hit the state border.”

Since Belcher joined the Air Force more than five years ago, Mynes and other family members have kept alive the tradition of sending him chips. When he was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in California, Mynes would send him six or eight giant bags on a regular basis. Belcher and his wife, who lives in California where Belcher was last stationed, plan to move back to the Tri-State area, long term.

“Now that he’s in South Korea, shipping chips overseas, with customs, and the sizes of military shipping boxes, it’s a little more difficult,” Mynes said.

Mynes said her nephew always shares the chips with friends.

“Just a little taste of home goes a long way, and during his last phone call, he says he has several of his buddies ‘hooked’ on Snyder’s chips now and the request is growing, thus my plea for help,” she said.

In addition to Mynes, her sister — Doralene Bailey (Jon’s mom) — and other family members will walk alongside the Magic 97.9 van during the parade and help collect the chips.

“Imagine the busy life we Americans have in the U.S., going about our daily rituals, enjoying the blessings of life,” Mynes said.

“Having someone in the military brings home the reality of who pays the price for our liberties and our lifestyle. We appreciate all of our troops, but I like to think of our troops overseas as our Night Watchmen. I used to question, ‘Why do they have to be overseas in another country?” Then I realized, while we’re snug in our beds, there are others who are wide awake, watching over our great country as it sleeps, protecting us from the enemy at all times. We can only pray that God and his angels will watch over them.”