Giving Back & Serving the Community
It’s a cornerstone value of LEK. Laurel believes strongly in community service, and participation in making our world a better place. Here’s our projects and ideas for you to become involved.
Kiters For Communities
Transforming trashed/old kites into fun trendy beach bags. Kiters For Communities is a social business owned by Laurel and Pete. They employ three Haitian tailors and invest 100% of the profit from selling bags into community-lead projects like schooling and lunches for kids.
Donate your old kite! You can bring it to Cabarete or send it to us in Miami. We’ll give you a unique handmade bag in return.
Upcycling Sails – Mariposa Project
Skills training, job creation, and investment in ocean-based environmental education with the Mariposa DR Foundation. Laurel is a Board member of the Mariposa DR Foundation. Working together with Brock Callen and the 11th Hour Racing Project, Laurel and the Mariposa team are launching a brand new line of upcycled sail bags for Christmas 2016.
One easy way to give back to the Cabarete community is to bring things cluttering up your house for the Mariposa DR Center for Girls. Here’s their wishlist of what is currently needed.
KB4girls – The Women’s Kiteboarding Organization
Empowering women through kiteboarding. Laurel is the President of this Oregon based non-profit organization founded by 9x kiteboarding world champion Kristin Boese. Together with the KB4girls board members she is actively re-designing how the organization serves, inspires, and educates women looking to learn kiteboarding and ladies who would like to advance their kite skills.
Become a Women’s Kiteboarding Organization member today – support and celebrate equality in sports!
Kiteboarding 4 Kids
A charity event co-founded by Laurel, this kiteboarding contest raised over $80,000 USD which was donated directly to children’s charities working in and around Cabarete. In 2011 (the last year of the event) KB4K’s title sponsor SOLOSHOT brought Hollywood actress and professional kiteboarder Maika Monroe to support the kids of Cabarete!
