Carolyn Snyder has spent 56 years as a dedicated nurse and volunteer, and on Sunday nearly a hundred people gathered at the Wabash Club to honor her.
The ceremony, hosted by the Montgomery County Free Clinic, recognized Snyder’s lifelong contributions to public health and her pivotal role in the founding and evolution of the Christian Nursing Service, now known as the Montgomery County Free Clinic. Those in attendance included former patients, colleagues, family and friends, all of whom had been touched by Snyder’s unwavering commitment to healthcare.
“Her lifelong commitment to volunteering has touched countless lives and inspired many of us to follow in her footsteps,” said Ashley Menard, MCFC executive director.
Snyder began her career as a school nurse, serving in the North Montgomery school district from 1966 to 2001. She also played a fundamental role in establishing the Christian Nursing Service in 1968, which initially operated out of the Milligan Memorial Presbyterian Church. As the first secretary of CNS and a two-time board president, she helped steer the organization through crucial transitions, including the retirement of volunteer physician Dr. Keith Baird.
Recognizing the need for a long-term solution, Snyder collaborated with colleagues, including Wabash College professor Bill Doemel, to evaluate local healthcare needs and develop a new structure, which ultimately became the MCFC.
“Carolyn’s steady and compassionate nurse leadership over many decades is a testament to her lifetime of service,” Menard said. “We are honored to recognize her accomplishments so that she may inspire the next generation of volunteers. Carolyn, your steady and compassionate leadership has been a beacon of hope and inspiration for so many.”
Snyder’s involvement in public health began in 1968 when the Rev. Charlotte Hotop of the Milligan Memorial Presbyterian Church gathered seven women from various churches to address the healthcare needs of the disadvantaged community. Among them was a 27-year-old Snyder, then expecting her first child. At the time, pregnant women were not allowed to work in schools, so she redirected her nursing skills toward home visits through the visiting nurse program.
Over the years, Snyder chaired a committee of 18 volunteer nurses and two aides while continuing her work as a school nurse. Even after retirement, she remained deeply involved, assisting with the transition to the Montgomery County Free Clinic in 2008 and volunteering at the Dr. Mary Ludwig Free Clinic when it opened in 2013. Until last year, she continued to contribute by answering phones and performing office work.
Chris Amidon, a healthcare professional and former school nurse, emphasized Snyder’s advocacy for public health and school nursing.
“Carolyn always knew about school nurses, what a crucial public health role they played,” she said. “And so, she made sure that a school nurse was always ex officio on the board of Christian Nursing Service. And that was really important to making sure that we kept children’s needs and families’ needs in the forefront of what we were doing. And so over the decades, Carolyn has been a steady and compassionate leader in the community. She really elevated the role of nursing. I think people really started to see nurses as leaders because of what Carolyn did in our community.”
During the ceremony, Rebecca Lang, a lifelong friend and colleague, reflected on Snyder’s dedication.
“I was kind of confused when I heard that we were having a retirement party. Historically, it’s the end. And every time I heard Carolyn retire, she’s found something else to drive people in, a new challenge. And let’s see, how many people can I get on board? And you’ve done that so well. You’ve been the voice of encouragement and caring. And that’s what I celebrate.”
Now that she has moved to Noblesville to be closer to her family, Snyder shared that she may find a way to continue volunteering there.
