Community Involvement
Kelly’s Main Goal In Life – To Keep All Children Safe From DROWNING!!
THE LIFE JACKET LOANER PROGRAM: KIDS DON’T FLOAT, GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT DOES!
The goal of the program is to save children’s’ lives by making loaner life jackets available at popular beach/lake sites for children and adults to borrow and return. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 93, 95 and 96 check monthly the condition of the lifejackets. If any lifejackets are missing or in disrepair, they will be replaced.
Since leaving the hospital as an RN in 2013, Kelly, along with Steve and their children’s pediatrician, Dr. Todd Vedder, formulated this program to prevent accidents like the loss of this poor little 2 year old girl from ever happening again. Dr. Vedder and the coalition developed the logistics of the program and when Kelly was asked to become a board member for the Naples Community Hospital Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition of Collier County, it became Steve and Kelly’s mission to raise the funds and host events to support the cause and daily operational expenses. Not to mention this cause was near and dear to their hearts as their son, Zane, was 2 years old at the time. No parent could ever imagine such a tragedy.
“Since I am no longer working in the hospital taking care of patients, this has helped me to fill my void of taking care of people and saving lives as I did in the ER and the PACU. I cannot tell you how much this warms my heart by simply providing such an easy thing as making life jackets accessible to the public, and to know that this truly does save lives. We have seen drowning rates in public areas here in Collier County decrease dramatically.” Kelly Sprigg, RN
Republican Representative Kathleen Passidomo and Commissioner Donna Fiala have backed the program from day one and have really helped us to spread the word throughout our state. The US Coast Guard Auxiliaries are the blood line of this program keeping our stands tidy and stocked with lifejackets. Without them, we really could not keep this up and running so efficiently. West Marine has provided us lifejackets at cost and Jason Parker of AutoTran, Inc. does all the screen printing of our logo on the backside of the life jackets. The stands are built with donated wood from Lowe’s and built by carpentry skilled, retired volunteers. Last, but absolutely not least, Paula DiGrigoli, the Coalition Program Director, keeps everything organized & functioning properly behind the scenes. 
We are all so blessed with such a large population of philanthropic, caring individuals here in Collier County and businesses that all want to contribute to help save lives, it just makes it easy to get donations for such a great cause.
15 “KIDS DON’T FLOAT, LIFE JACKETS DO!” LIFE JACKETS LOANER STATIONS IN COLLIER COUNTY
by Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition •
COLLIER COUNTY HAS 15 “KIDS DON’T FLOAT, LIFE JACKETS DO!” LIFE JACKETS LOANER STATIONS IN COLLIER COUNTY
1. Sugden Park
2. The historic Naples Pier
3. Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club
4. Gulf Shore Blvd Beach
5. Lowdermilk Park
6. Clam Pass
7. Vanderbilt Beach
8. Barefoot Beach
9. Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park – Lot 1
10. Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park – Lot 3
11. South Marco Island
12. Tigertail Beach
13. North Marriott
14. Crystal Shores
15. Residents Beach
#Neverswimalone #Watchkidsbywater #WaterSafety #DrownignPrevention #Inthe239
In June 2013 a two year old was found floating face down in the water at Sugden Regional Park. A mere five minutes had elapsed without adult supervision. Had this child been wearing a life jacket, it would not have been a life altering event.
Our Coalition reacted to this child’s death by organizing a life jacket loaner program entitled “Kids Don’t Float— Give Them Something That Does” modeled after an initiative adopted in Alaska in 1997.
The goal of the program is to save children’s’ lives by making loaner life jackets available at popular beach/lake sites for children and adults to borrow and return. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 93, 95 and 96 check monthly the condition of the lifejackets. If any lifejackets are missing or in disrepair, they will be replaced.
Partners in the program include:
1. Sprigg Yacht Consulting
2. Commissioner Donna Fiala 
3. Dr. Todd Vedder
4. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliaries 93
5. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliaries 95
6. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliaries 96
7. Collier County Parks & Recreation
8. Lee & Penny Anderson
9. Chip & Lynne, Henley & Nelly, Duke, Winston & Vera Shotwell
10. Mikel & Keely Miller
11. Scott & Sue Dufford
12. Kiwanis club of East Naples
13. Neal Horrell
14. Lowe’s
15. Jon Levy and the BIG team at BIG Renovations & Design, Inc
16. Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club
17. AutoTran, Inc.
18. West Marine
19. Accent Signs
20. Marco Island Fire Rescue
21. Marco Island Civic Association
22. Collier County Sheriff’s Office
23. Stewie the Duck
Thank you to all these amazing partners and donors for helping us to make Collier County a safer place for the children.
NCH SAFE & HEALTHY CHILDREN’S COALITION OF COLLIER COUNTY
c/o NCH Healthcare System
P.O Box 234
Naples, FL 34106
Phone Number: 239-624-4033