ALTON, Ill. – Family and friends gathered Friday for a food drive in honor of Blake Snyder, a St. Louis County officer killed in the line of duty seven years ago.

Snyder would have turned 41 years old on Nov. 7. The food drive is one of several ways that family members honor his life. 

“Last year, we honored him by giving away ice cream sundaes. Sometimes we do gas giveaways,” said Tina Bennett.

This year, they’re honoring his life through canned goods and cereal boxes.

“In memory of Blake’s birthday, we wanted to help with the local food pantries and with the Boys and Girls Club because they have a food panty and serve a lot of the homeless,” said Peggy Snyder, Blake’s mom.

The goal is to raise 4,100 pounds of food to donate. Donations can be dropped off at the Alton Physical Therapy from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Many also dropped off donations Friday afternoon.

Peggy Snyder said this is a way for Blake’s family and friends to give back to the community the way he did every day.

“Those are the things that I have to continue what I know in his heart that he would do and share with the community and with the people that he knows,” said Snyder.