The National Hospice Regatta Alliance (NHRA) is a national network of charity sailing regattas which raise money and community awareness for hospice care for individuals facing a terminal illness and the people who care and grieve for them. There are twenty three NHRA Regattas along with the National Hospice Regatta Championship.

The first hospice benefit regatta began in 1982 by Virginia Brown, as a fundraiser and forum for raising community awareness about the nature of hospice care for Hospice of Northern Virginia. The concept has since been adapted by volunteers around the country for their own communities.

From its founding (by twelve people, who together with friends and sponsors, watched a fleet of 35 boats race from Annapolis to St. Michael's, Md. garnering $30,000 in net proceeds), that one regatta has been the cornerstone of a national network of twenty three regattas, (of which four take place in NY State) raising money and community awareness .

Each individual Regatta serves as a qualifying race for the National Hospice Regatta races the following spring.

Our own local Charity Cup Regatta was launched by George Colligan and friends in 1993 and has become the signature fundraiser for Hospice of Jefferson County. It has evolved into an event with many components; Sailing races; Junior Races; Home & Garden Tour; Walk-a-thon; Tube Races; Dinner & Fundraising Auction.

George Colligan passed away unexpectedly in 2004; to honor his memory the "Colligan Cup" trophy to be presented annually to the overall winner of the Charity Cup races was established in 2005.