RecognizeGood Spotlight: Colin’s Hope

In June of 2008, Jeff and Jana Holst suffered a horrible tragedy. Their 4-year-old son, Colin, drowned in a swimming pool accident just days after completing his swim lessons. After Colin’s drowning, they learned that drowning is the number one cause for unintentional death in children under four. “It was such a frustrating thing to learn after losing a child that way,” Jeff said. “So we vowed to do everything in our power to make sure every parent and caregiver is armed with important information on how to keep their families safe. One of the things we do is raise awareness. To us, the safety tips that keep families safe aren’t rocket science. But it’s something that is not on the forefront of people’s minds.”

Driven to promote water safety within their community and to educate parents, children, and lifeguards on drowning prevention, Jeff and Jana formed a nonprofit called “Colin’s Hope.” Believing that a few simple tips and rules might make a difference in the life of another child keeps them passionate about their new purpose. Their angel, Colin, is guiding them every step of the way.

Earlier this year RecognizeGood honored Jeff and Jana as our May 2012 Legends. We recognized Jeff and Jana with in a ceremony in their honor. They received a $1,000 pay-it-forward donation in their names toward Colin’s Hope.

Over the past years, Colin’s Hope organized several community events to spread water safety awareness. Some of the events include the Annual Water Walk, the Annual Colin’s Hope Golf Tournament, and Colin’s Hope Got2Swim Lake Austin Event.

Colin’s Hope is an inspiring story of aspiring for the greater good in the midst of tragedy. If you would like to read about Colin’s story or find out more about the organization, you can read more on the Colin’s Hope website.