Every summer our community loses adults and children to drowning accidents, and Peterson Health’s Emergency Department cares for many patients who have had near drowning events. In an effort to prevent these traumatic incidents, Peterson Health’s Trauma Team is proud to announce the Save-A-Life Jacket Program: a fundraising campaign to keep our community kids safe in the water this summer.
The goal of the campaign is to raise funds to provide 200 life jackets to three- and four-year-old children within the community that are at the highest risk of drowning. Recipients of these donations include students that attend the Early Childhood Center in Kerrville, a developmentally appropriate early childhood campus that provides a comprehensive approach to delivering services to children and families within the community that are in most need.
Gibson’s Discount Center in Kerrville, the last store open in the Gibson’s franchise, has generously partnered with Peterson Health to offer life jackets in-store for community purchase, as well as donating a number of life jackets to the program.
“This hits us close to home here at Peterson Health,” Dr. Josephine Livingston, Peterson Health’s Trauma Medical Director states. “This campaign is especially important to us because we have had one of our own employees lose a child to a swimming tragedy. It effects the entire Peterson community in a profound way so we are proud to take part in this cause and hope to prevent this from happening to anyone else.”
On Thursday, May 25, students and parents of the Early Childhood Center will get a water safety class and every student will leave with a lifejacket.
“We hope this is the start of a great safety cause,” says Darin Smith, Trauma Program Manager at Peterson Health. “We have aspirations that this program will grow in force and we will be able to one day provide every child in the district with a life jacket.”
Community members can learn more and donate to the program by visiting PetersonHealth.com/Save-A-Life, or stop by Gibson’s Discount Center at 111 West Main Street in Kerrville to make an in-store purchase.
