May 16, 2006

Raising Money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society From Massachusetts to North Carolina Aboard a RIBCRAFT Rigid Inflatable Boat

Marblehead, MA, May 16, 2006 - Through the generous cooperation of RIBCRAFT®, the rigid inflatable boat manufacturer headquartered in Marblehead, MA, The Wilmington Group, an executive recruitment firm from Wilmington, NC is assisting in the sponsorship of a 975 mile fund raising ocean passage from Marblehead, MA to Wilmington, NC to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in a 21’ RIBCRAFT rigid inflatable boat.

The custom built RIBCRAFT 210, with an overall length of 21’3”, will be navigated by Kirk Sears, Principal of the Wilmington Group and his wife, as it makes its way to North Carolina through a combination of Open Ocean and coastal sea conditions. The voyage will take them through Boston, MA, Newport RI, New York City, Chesapeake Bay, the Outer Banks, and then on to Wrightsville Beach, NC.

At least 70% of the passage will occur in the waters of the Atlantic aboard a RIBCRAFT RIB, designed specifically for offshore sea conditions. Expected to take 4-5 days, the trip will begin on the morning of Thursday, May 18th from Marblehead Harbor. Sears, a three time RIBCRAFT customer, will be skippering his new RIBCRAFT 210 with his wife as his trusted navigator and co-pilot. Having done this passage three years ago when he took delivery of his second RIBCRAFT, Sears wanted the forty-six hours of the over 900 mile trip to have some greater significance this time around than simply an exhilarating four day passage. As such, he and his colleagues at the Wilmington Group began collecting pledges and donations for each mile of the trip completed.

The land “captains” of this unique fund raising event are being coordinated by the Wilmington Group’s Executive Recruiters, Jennifer Royall and Kristan Wilson. “Our goal is to raise at least $5.00 per mile as we are asking donations from $.10 to $1.00. All of the proceeds will be donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and is a part of our “Partners in Training” program to raise at least $14,000”, states Ms. Wilson. Donors will be able to track the Sears’ progress as they receive email updates recording the passage, miles completed, and total money raised as they make their way south.

We are honored to be assisting with this unique fundraising event for The Leukemia and Lymphona Society. A RIBCRAFT RIB is the ideal boat for such a passage and we’re proud to have one of our boats be used for such a worthy cause, said Matthew Velluto, RIBCRAFT’s director of Marketing.

The departure is planned for 8:00am Thursday, May 18th from the State Street Landing in Marblehead, MA.

About RIBCRAFT RIBCRAFT has established its position as a designer and builder of technologically advanced RIBS that fulfill the most demanding professional and recreational applications. RIBCRAFT is a leading supplier of professional grade RIBs throughout the world. With models starting at 15’, RIBCRAFT offers RIBs capable of fulfilling any mission. www.ribcraftusa.com