West Marine fundraiser to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

West Marine is continuing a partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at all its retailers’ stores from Sept. 1-Sept. 30. During that time, customers can donate to LLS by purchasing a paper sailboat and writing their names on it. The sailboats will be displayed in the store where the donation is made.

Since September 2016, West Marine raised nearly $90,000 for LLS. The paper sailboat fundraiser is held in conjunction with the Leukemia Cup Regatta, a series of sailing events that take place at yacht clubs across North America. Regatta participants seek donations to support their boats and since the inception of the regatta in 1988, more than $66 million has been raised to support LLS.

“West Marine is proud to support this cause in the local boating community by giving 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of paper sailboats back to LLS,” said Doug Robinson, CEO of West Marine, in a statement. “We are honored to be in this fight and help the efforts to end blood cancers. The response to this initiative from our associates and customers is inspiring, and this year we are setting the bar higher with a challenge for each of our 246 stores to raise at least $1,000.”

Robinson is a leukemia survivor. He was diagnosed in 2014 and his medical team worked closely with LLS on treatment protocols and to identify a bone marrow donor for a transplant.