The Lake Murray Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering free boating safety classes thanks to a special donation.

Marek Giurk of Charlotte, NC, made a generous donation to Lake Murray Flotilla 12-3 in memory of his son, Daniel, who was injured in a tubing accident Sept. 1, 2018.

Daniel was just 25 years old when he died a few days later on Sept. 4.

Giurk gifted the funds to be used for boater education provided by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

In each class, Auxiliary Instructors will include prevention suggestions and best practices to avoid accidents when a vessel operator is towing people.

All classes are held at ECPI University, 250 Berryhill Road, Columbia, on Saturdays from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Class sizes are limited, and students must register online.

Registration for the Lake Murray Coast Guard Auxiliary free boating safety courses can be found at www.uscgaux-lakemurray.com or on SC DNR’s boater education website.