08-04-2025
A CT company sells trendy attire, Whalers merch. They've teamed up with V Foundation to fight cancer
Southport-based Gells Apparel has entered a partnership with the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
The V Foundation is a nationally recognized organization that has granted nearly $400 million to cancer research, according to the foundation's website.
'We couldn't be more thrilled about this partnership with the V Foundation. Their commitment to help fund the very best in cancer research aligns perfectly with our principals as a brand,' Ashley Perkin, Gells Apparel's co-founder and chief marketing officer, said.
'From the outset, our conversations with the V Team had a palpable sense of mutual excitement,' Gells Apparel co-founder and president Richard Perkin added.
Gells Apparel, pronounced 'Jel-z' is a family owned and operated premium lifestyle brand that specialized in accessories and apparel and 'creates apparel made for an active outdoor lifestyle with our lifelong mission to give back,' according to the business website. Among the specialties are hats, belts and key chains.
Gells Apparel is an officially licensed partner with the National Hockey League, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville and many NCAA institutions. It has been in business for about 10 years and will give a portion of its sales to the V Foundation.
Richard Perkin said the company plans on raising awareness of the V Foundation through its website and social media and added that shipped products will be inserted with a QR code which will give customers literature about the V Foundation.
'We may also be supplying some of our products to the V Foundation for their events like golf outings,' Richard Perkin said.
According to the V Foundation website, 'At the core of the V Foundation's mission lies an unwavering commitment to saving lives and uncovering cures for cancer. This dedication serves as the driving force behind every donation, propelling us forward in our relentless pursuit of progress in cancer research. This is why we ensure every penny of every dollar donated makes a tangible difference in the fight against this devastating disease.'
In 2024, the V Foundation awarded $44 million in grants to 76 research teams and cancer centers. The foundation has been connected to more than 1,000 clinical trials and received over 5,500 grants that generated over $20 billion dollars in cancer research.
'We're extremely excited to team up with Gells Apparel. They share our fervor for funding innovative cancer research dedicated to bettering diagnostic tools, developing new treatment options, and saving lives. Together, through this partnership, we'll accelerate Victory Over Cancer,' Roger Ferguson, V Foundation for Cancer Research chief marketing officer, said in a press release.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late NC State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano.
'My wife and I founded Gells 10 years as a thing we wanted to do,' Richard Perkin said. 'We both had small business backgrounds, and we wanted to create something as our own. We were looking to gel a for-profit business that would help non-profits. That's how we came up with our name.'
The company made custom products in Fairfield County for years before Gells became an officially licensed partner of the National Hockey League in 2021.
'That's when it went from a hobby to a full-blown business,' Richard Perkin said.
Perkin said the Hartford Whalers-themed items are the top selling products. Perkin was a hockey player grew up in the state and loved the Whalers.
'It was a sad day when the Whale moved, but there are still so many Whalers fans,' Perkin said.
Perkin said the company has expanded to three different belt styles in addition to the key chains and hats. The company also does golf-themed items as well.
