Boating supply store holding charity event

West Marine, a boating supply store, is looking for Newport Beach marine-based nonprofits to be the beneficiaries of its charity celebration next month.

The event, Cruising for a Cause, will take place during West Marine’s grand opening of its flagship Orange County store from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 3. The event, which will include beverages, food and live music, is an opportunity for nonprofits to raise money for their programs.

West Marine is the largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, with nearly 300 stores in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. The new store, at 3433 Via Lido Plaza, boasts more than 18,000 products, according to a news release.

So far, the company has partnered with nine local charities: the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Friends of Rollo, Balboa Yacht Club Jr. Sailing Program, Newport Aquatic Center, Aloha Kai Research Foundation, Orange Coast College Professional Mariner Program, Surfrider Newport Beach Chapter, UCI Sailing Assn. and the Newport Harbor Sailing Assn. To participate, each of the charities must play a part in serving the local boating, fishing, sailing or marine environment communities.

The charities will be responsible for selling tickets to the event, which are priced at $10 each. In return, all proceeds from ticket sales will go to the nonprofits.

West Marine will donate an additional $2 to the charity organizations for every ticket presented at the event, according to a news release.

Charities looking to participate in Cruising for a Cause can emailgrantsandsponosrships@westmarine.com. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at the new store.

[For the record, 1:26 p.m. Sept. 18: An earlier version of this story stated that this is the grand opening of West Marine’s first store, when in fact there are others in Orange County.]