Wicked Ducks, a local store owned by Courtney and Mandy Lobraico, has partnered with the Red Sox Foundation to support various causes.
Wicked Ducks, located on Atlantic Avenue in Marblehead, sells a wide variety of rubber ducks ranging from photographers to dinosaurs. The inspiration for the idea stemmed from collecting rubber ducks from European stores, which became a family tradition for the owners.
“We have something called the Wicked Duck Foundation, and what we wanted to do was partner with other already-established foundations,” Courtney Lobraico said.
Lobraico explained that the foundation is focused on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and neurological trauma. However, they also want to support causes connected to gender equality in sports, Alzheimer’s Disease, and pulmonary fibrosis.
“My father passed away due to pulmonary fibrosis, and they don’t have a whole lot of research and funding focused on a cure for it,” she said.
“There are so many different things that we are interested in giving back to, so we thought, why don’t we try to specialize in making specific ducks for these foundations to sell, or we can sell for them, and we give a percentage of that money to their foundation,” Lobraico said.
Thursday, Wicked Ducks had a promotion to honor its new partnership with the Red Sox Foundation. If guests entered the store wearing Red Sox gear, they got 10% off any sport-themed duck.
The Red Sox Foundation was founded in 2002. Its mission is to use the power of the Red Sox fan base to make a difference in the lives of families, veterans, and communities in need. The Foundation has raised and invested more than $130 million in local communities since its inception. It continues to provide that support with the help of businesses like Wicked Ducks.
The store has officially sent in its Red Sox duck design to be looked at by the MLB to ensure it can be sold with no legal issues.
“I think it’s going to be wonderful. We’ve designed it, and then we’re going to create it and produce it. Part of that sale is going to go to the foundation,” she said.
The store is looking forward to seeing where this partnership leads.