Stand With Ukraine Pre-Order Store
The Russian Federation launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In the space of just 12 days, more than 2 million refugees have been forced to flee to neighboring countries, while an additional estimated 1 million people have been displaced internally within Ukraine. The military offensive in Ukraine has caused destruction of civilian infrastructure and civilian casualties and has forced people to flee their homes seeking safety, protection and assistance. (Source: UNHCR The UN Refugee Agency) The intensifying hostilities in Ukraine are threatening the lives and wellbeing of tens of thousands of families. As a rowing community, we encourage you to help us provide them with the means to survive.
JL Racing is collaborating with Team JL Ambassador, Michael Toutloff, to launch a pre-order store to help support an organization that is providing aide to the Ukrainian people. 100% of the proceeds of this pre-order store will be donated to the UN Crisis Relief Fund. Donations from UN Crisis Relief go towards the United Nation’s efforts to fund immediate rapid-response aid when disasters strike and critical work in humanitarian crises around the world. In this case, the Ukraine crisis.
The Stand With Ukraine Pre-Order Store is now closed.
"One of the unexpected benefits of being an Ambassador for JL is that I have been able to meet and become friends with rowers and coaches around the world including several from Ukraine. While the atrocities of the Russian invasion were being broadcast, I watched my Ukrainian friend’s social media pages fill with stories of tragedy and heroism all while I sat at home feeling helpless. Every day, the horrors grew of families being separated, children fleeing and injured, and increasing stories of millions of people left with nothing as they tried to escape to safety and I began to think about what I could do to help.
I was out antiquing with my husband and looking at old Kodak slides form the 1960’s while in a shop. The second slide that I saw was of two sunflowers against a clear blue sky and it felt like that was a sign to act. I began to do a few sketches of sunflowers, which are the national flower of Ukraine and an idea grew. I have collaborated with JL in the past on some of their Pride and Fourth of July collections so I reached out to see if they would be willing to produce a few pieces to help benefit Ukrainian refugees based off of the drawings that I sent over. The response was immediate and my request was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. I’m proud to have been able to partner with JL on this and while I can’t change the situation that is happening inside Ukraine, I hope that the donations from this collection will help some of those who need it the most." -Michael Toutloff, Team JL 2022 Ambassador
