Lumberjacks Weekend set to Benefit Suicide Prevention Cause

(KNSI)—The initial Hockey for a Cause game benefitting the Smiles for Jake organization was such a hit that it is scheduled for two nights this year.

The Granite City Lumberjacks will take the ice on Friday and Saturday night for what is sure to be an emotional weekend. The organization is named after Jake Haapajoki, who committed suicide in 2018.

Joe Janson is part of the Lumberjacks front office and has a personal connection to the family. “I was living up in Brainerd when Jake tragically took his life. Jake’s father is one of my good friends, and we all played slow-pitch softball together, seeing Jake almost every week or all throughout the summer, just hanging out at the ball field, kind of running around as a young man.”

Smiles for Jake tries to prevent others from suicide by encouraging positive action that affirms the joy of life. That includes in sports. The Lumberjacks will wear special uniforms and auction them off. There will also be staples like chuck-a-puck and a raffle. All proceeds raised over the two days goes to the nonprofit.

The Lumberjacks head coach is no stranger to the stresses of hockey. He played for the team, and his family owns it. DJ Vold tells KNSI News that the organization takes seriously its role of helping prepare players for the next level through personal growth.

“We bring in 17 and 20-year-olds from all over the country, and we don’t take it lightly that it’s a very important time in their lives where the guys come here and they kind of figure out what’s important to them, how to prioritize their time, and really who they want to be outside of hockey, as well as within hockey. So, our goal every year is to bring in boys and send home men.”

He thinks the sport is softening, and Vold considers himself a part-time counselor. Vold says his players are often dealing with their first serious breakup or family health problems, and they have to adjust to a new tier of competition that varies drastically from what they saw in high school.

Vold stresses it’s a process to learn how to be a healthy scratch and deal with consequences if you are going through a poor stretch. He notes his players will need to be able to do a lot of things that aren’t glamorous if they expect to make it to the next level.

He believes if you throw everything together, it can be a combustible mix. Vold says the most traumatic thing he witnessed as a player was a bad injury to a teammate. Vold notes he relied on his GM to get him through watching a player break his neck after crashing into the boards. He hopes to be that same anchor for his players.

That involves being truthful but also positive and affirming in the model of Smiles for Jake. Vold adds that the cause has caught on in the community, and he appreciates the passion the group elicits from area fans.