As a tradition we've maintained since the beginning of Loll, giving back to our community and planet continues to be an important part of our company - and 2023 was no different. We take pride in supporting a variety of organizations through donations and participation in initiatives related to sustainability, social responsibility, outdoor recreation, and more. Together, we've created opportunities to make a positive impact, proving that doing good and living well go hand in hand. Join us as we revisit the milestones and shared moments that define this year of giving back and embracing community spirit.   1% for the planet As an essential part of our commitment to enhancing people, our planet, and our company, we proudly allocated 1% of profits from our Lollygagger Collection through 1% for the Planet. This collective of businesses, individuals, and environmental organizations works to preserve the cleanliness and livability of our planet. In our ongoing 15-year partnership, we're delighted to announce our local contributions, for 2023, to Chester Bowl, Hartley Nature Center, and Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS). Our support for these programs highlights our pride in contributing to initiatives that foster positive and lifelong connections with the outdoors for lollygaggers of all ages.   Holiday Decor Donation In the spirit of giving, we're delighted to share that we donated a portion of the proceeds from the 2023 Holiday Collection to support our local food bank, Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank in Duluth. For the third consecutive year, your choice to bring our holiday decor into your space made a meaningful impact, allowing us to spread extra love, support, and joy to those in need during the holiday season. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who chose our holiday pieces and contributed to making a positive difference in our community.   Blood Drive 2023 Our commitment to community well-being extends to our quarterly blood drives—an initiative near and dear to us. Spearheaded by Jeff Taly, our longest-standing employee who's been with us since the TrueRide days, these drives support the crucial efforts of Memorial Blood Centers. Jeff, who knows firsthand the life-saving impact of blood donation, passionately champions the cause. This year, the dedication and enthusiasm of Jeff and the entire Loll team persisted and we're grateful for each contribution to this vital cause.   Dragon Boat Festival We wholeheartedly welcomed community involvement while enjoying the great outdoors during our participation in the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival (LSDBF). With two boats and over 35 of our team members, along with their friends and family, we had an incredible time paddling together and enjoying the beauty of nature—all while championing a meaningful cause. Organized by the Rotary Club of Superior, LSDBF has been around since 2002, raising money to benefit charitable organizations in the Twin Ports. Our involvement in the festival supported raising funds for the Rotary Club of Superior and giving to the festival's charitable partner, 23rd Veteran. We proudly immersed ourselves in the joy of giving back while appreciating a fun, family-friendly event.   Dumpster Dive  We host our "Dumpster Dive" event at our headquarters with a purposeful commitment to environmental responsibility. This unique initiative is not about scavenging through waste, but rather a strategic effort to analyze, understand, and minimize our ecological footprint. The event provides an in-depth examination of discarded materials, giving us insights into consumption patterns, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing innovative waste reduction strategies. By tweaking how we make things and keeping a close eye on what hits the dumpster, we're staying true to our green values. This led to us working with local recyclers to reuse even more packaging material that our materials are delivered with. We now have additional sorting bins to recycle materials that were previously going into the dumpsters.   Clean yer creek  Now encompassing multiple businesses and dedicated volunteers, the event, fondly known as Clean Yer Creek, is a testament to our commitment to protecting the environment and community well-being. Clean Yer Creek (CYC) focuses on the restoration of local creek ecosystems, with volunteers working diligently to remove hundreds of pounds of trash. In support by various other businesses in the community, the goal of CYC is to safeguard the water quality of Lake Superior and enhance the resilience of our local ecosystem. A little cold and cloudy weather won’t stop us from taking care of our local waterways! We took part in our annual Clean Yer Creek event, along with over 275 volunteers, to remove garbage that pollutes the waterways leading into Lake Superior. With everyone’s help we were able to remove 6,160 lbs or 3.8 tons of trash!   Composting Program We are proud to announce that this year we composted: 650 Ibs! While we're proud to donate to local environmental causes, we realize that commitment to the planet starts at home - at our HQ in Duluth, Minnesota. Run by the Green Team at Loll, we provide multiple receptacles across our facilities. Compost is then transported locally for farmers to utilize on their crops.   Cradle to Cradle With a desire to prioritize the environment and health of our employees, many of our products have been Cradle to Cradle certified. This process requires a rigorous 3rd party review and provides a comprehensive overview by evaluating our manufacturing procedures. We work hard to ensure our process and products don't negatively impact our planet, as our beliefs are firmly rooted in prioritizing the environment.  Conclusion  We are beyond grateful to give, share, experience, and appreciate the outdoors and our community in as many ways as possible. We will continue to do so as we evolve and grow in the coming years. Cheers to 2023 and a successful 2024! Want to see what we do in 2024? Let’s get social! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.