Hy-Vee customers donate nearly $140,000 to slain officers’ families

Hy-Vee, Inc. thanked customers today for generously showing their respect and gratitude to slain Urbandale Police Officer Justin Martin and Des Moines Police Sgt. Anthony Beminio by donating nearly $140,000 to their families.

Following the officers’ fatal shootings last week, Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker announced that all Des Moines-area Hy-Vee stores would collect customers’ donations to benefit the fallen police officers’ families. To supplement customers’ donations, Hy-Vee gave $25,000 to each officer’s family.

In total, customers dropped off $138,318 at Des Moines-area Hy-Vee stores from Wednesday, Nov. 2, through Sunday, Nov. 6. On Thursday, Hy-Vee will deliver two checks totaling nearly $190,000 to the Des Moines Police Officers’ Credit Union, which will divide the money equally and deposit it into funds established for Officer Martin and Sgt. Beminio’s families.

Hy-Vee set up collection tables at the entrances of its stores in an effort to bring the community together.

“Whenever tragedy strikes in one of our communities, we instinctively look to our law enforcement partners to pull us together and help us heal,” Edeker said in a statement last week upon announcing the donation efforts. “When tragedy — especially such an unimaginable act as this — befalls those who protect us, we want to emulate their response, show compassion and help in any way that we can.”