Seattle-based food safety law firm Marler Clark announced a donation of $100,000 to Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada at the school’s winter sports award banquet Thursday evening. The donation was made in honor of former teaching assistant and E. coli victim Linda Rivera and her family.
In 2009, after consuming Nestle brand cookie dough Mrs. Rivera contracted a near deadly E. coli O157 infection and has been in hospitals and rehabilitation centers ever since. During this time all three of her sons graduated from Green Valley High School, though Mrs. Rivera was not able to attend due to her medical complications.
Bill Marler, Managing Partner at Marler Clark, who represents Rivera said the donation will go to help support science scholarships, the wrestling program, and special education.
“I am extremely proud to be part of such an event and, even more so, honored to work with a family as courageous as the Riveras.” said Marler, “Linda’s battle with E. coli has certainly been one of the toughest I’ve ever witnessed in my nearly twenty years of foodborne illness litigation and I know the Riveras are simply overjoyed to see something positive come from this experience.”
Though the past two years have been trying for the Riveras, Marler believes this donation is good for both the family and their community.
“We are hopeful that a portion of these funds will help to encourage young people to study science at a higher level to one day help improve food safety in the U.S. and around the world,” said Marler. “Furthermore, for kids to go through what Linda’s sons have is a complex and frightening thing, but we are pleased that some of this money could go on to leave an indelible footprint on something the boys were passionate about – wrestling.”
MARLER CLARK is the nation’s foremost food safety law firm and has been representing victims of foodborne illnesses such as E. coli since 1993. For more information contact Cody Moore at cmoore@marlerclark.com or 206-407-2200.