CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — H-E-B donated $3,500 to the coalition dedicated to raising awareness to safety at Lake Corpus Christi after drownings claimed the lives of four individuals this year.
Those drownings happening in the span of five months from each other.
On June 24, 13-year-old Jeremiah De Leon-Smith went into the water and never resurfaced. His body was found the next day.
Just one week later, 19-year-old Chris Ruiz drowned while out with his friends.
Fast forward four months to the most recent drownings happening in November
A father, 29-year-old Pedro Aguirre and his 4-year-old son, Gabriel, drowned in Lake Corpus Christi. Both of them were found the following days.
Since those tragic deaths-efforts have been underway to curb drownings from happening at the lake near Mathis.
A coalition was formed this month including officials from Mathis along with San Patricio County, the City of Corpus Christi, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the JeSani Smith Foundation.
"What we're trying to do is just make sure that water safety is key and we're trying to provide water vests to make sure lives are preserved," Mathis City Manager Cedric Davis said. "We do little things around our community to support people and H-E-B has always been there. They've been there with water, they've been there with donations, they supported our Fourth of July celebrations, so they've been very good stewards to our community."
"Today we're in the city of Mathis contributing to their campaign to give life jackets out in the community," H-E-B manager of public affairs Beth Dattomo said. "We're providing a donation of $3,500 to contribute to the safety in the community."
The donation was one of 12 the Texas grocery store chain distributed throughout the Coastal Bend as part of their "12 acts of giving" initiative.
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