Sea Bags Partners with Los Angeles Maritime Institute's TopSail Youth Program

Recycled Sails Turned into Unique Experiences for LA's Youth

LOS ANGELES, CA - October 7, 2013 - Sea Bags™, designers and manufacturers of handmade totes and accessories made from recycled sails, has announced that as part of its expansion to the West Coast, it has partnered with Los Angeles Maritime Institute's award-winning TopSail Youth Program to create a scholarship fund to introduce students from underserved communities to a unique sailing experience.

Individuals who donate a sail to the Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI) for recycling by Sea Bags will not only receive a receipt for income tax purposes (from LAMI) but, more importantly, be contributing to the "Sea Bags TopSail Youth Fund." A portion of all revenue from donated sails will be earmarked by Sea Bags for LAMI's TopSail Youth Program, supporting educational sailing experiences on the tall ships Exy Johnson and Irving Johnson.

"LAMI is proud to partner with Sea Bags to help reach and bring more youth from the Greater Los Angeles Area out aboard our tall ships," said Martyn Clark, Executive Director of Los Angeles Maritime Institute. "As mariners and educators, we think it's appropriate to partner with a business which recycles old sails into beautiful bags and totes. We're both creating positive experiences through sailing, and ultimately, creating awareness about the transformational experiences sail training offers youth."

Since its founding in 1992, the Los Angeles Maritime Institute's "TopSail Youth Program" has provided disadvantaged youth with an extraordinary "hands on" learning environment aboard a traditional tall ship, where young crews must do "real work" that is physically, mentally and emotionally challenging. They raise the sails, set the course, work with wind and waves, and climb the rigging standing only on footropes. The youth must pull together as a team to meet the actual, practical demands of the ship. Through their adventures at sea, youth realize their own potential while demonstrating the benefits of teamwork and cooperation.

"We are proud to extend the reach of our mission to include community involvement in California, especially with such a unique program as LAMI's TopSail Youth Program," said Beth Shissler, President of Sea Bags. "Partnering with LAMI is a perfect match for our business and a chance for us to support their efforts and give more youth an extraordinary sailing experience."

Sails can be dropped off at Los Angeles Maritime Institute located at Berth 73 in San Pedro, CA, Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm (in the Ports O' Call Village, above Utro's Cafe).

For further information about the program, call LAMI's Director of Marketing Joleen Deatherage at 310-833-6055 or Sea Bags' West Coast Manager Christa Demment Gonzalez at 207-415-5104.

About Sea Bags™

Sailed around the world - Recycled in Maine. Founded in 1999, Sea Bags began by making fun, functional and stylish totes from reclaimed sailcloth in the historic Old Port district of Portland, Maine. Today, the company makes a diverse line of totes, bags, board shorts and household items, all of which feature material from sails that were actively used in the past. The use of 100 percent reclaimed sailcloth is unique to Sea Bags. Signs of hard sailing can be seen in every Sea Bags creation, making them as individual and unique as their owner.

About Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI)

Located on the LA Waterfront in San Pedro, CA, the TopSail Youth Program takes place aboard the twin brigantines, Irving Johnson and Exy Johnson - the Official Tall Ships and Maritime Ambassadors of the City of Los Angeles. These beautiful vessels provide a challenging, yet nurturing, environment that is effective with youth who are not coping well and "at risk" of dropping out of school. Founded in 1992, Los Angeles Maritime Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing character-building, educational, sail training adventures for youth. This year, the organization is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of its award-winning educational program.