Adams and Stoney Creek Lacrosse teams Battle to Support Suicide Prevention

Lacrosse Teams Battle to Support Suicide Prevention

The Stoney Creek High School Lacrosse Team is holding their inaugural fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) during the March 29 game against Rochester Adams. The game will be played in honor of Andy McGill, Class of 2016. The goal is to increase the awareness of suicide and the means of suicide prevention. It will also spread the excitement of this high energy sport that Andy loved. All proceeds from this lacrosse game will be donated to the AFSP. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention raises awareness, funds scientific research, and provides resources and aid to those affected by suicide.

“We certainly hope this will become an annual event. Honoring Andy in the inaugural game between Adams and Stoney Creek is very important to the healing process. That being said, this game is so much bigger than honoring Andy, it is an awareness for our boys, our community and our schools,” said Julie LaFrance, Stoney Creek parent and Lacrosse mom, “Lacrosse is in our blood. We have 3 boys that have been through the Stoney Creek program. Two of them have been Captains, and the third is a senior and teammate of Andy’s. I have been involved in the program as the treasurer and board member for the past seven years. My husband knew Andy very well when he coached football for Stoney Creek. The family is very special to us. Many of us wanted to do something special for the McGill family.”

The Stoney Creek band drum line will perform at the game. Local cheer teams, students, and parents will be coming out in force to support the cause and enjoy the riverly of the two local high schools. In addition, two Stoney Creek students will be singing the national anthem.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m., and there is a JV lacrosse game at 5:00 p.m. The JV team will be selling the raffle tickets and 50/50.  The Adams and Stoney Creek lacrosse families will be donating the baked good and drinks we are selling. They anticipate the administration from each school to be in attendance, as well as Karyn McGill and her son Luke. We are hoping the Stoney Creek and Adams core will be in attendance wearing gold shirts. The core is the student section for the respective school. Anyone is welcome to attend. The game will be outside.

• Speaker from AFSP
• Bake sale
• 50/50 raffle
• Other raffle(s)
• T-shirts
• Menchie’s yogurt
• On-line donations to ASFP will be another opportunity to give to this worthy cause.

There are items for sale at the event including AFSP wrist bands, T-shirts commemorating the game, bake sale and drink items. There will be a raffle of 3-4 gift baskets, depending on how many raffle donations we receive from parents and the community. So far we have a Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Rochester Themed, and Lacrosse themed basket. We will have a 50/50 raffle. All proceeds from the raffle, bake sale, and 50/50  will be donated to AFSP. Donations to AFSP for this event, are being accepted online.

Visit the Fundraiser Website for more information

Get Involved!

We would like to request that parents A-L contribute baked goods and M-Z contribute water or sports drinks.

Also, if you are able to contribute items for the Rochester / Lacrosse themed Raffle Basket, please contact Monique Getzinger at mgetzinger@comcast.net or 248-894-8932.

Lisa Hook, a local journalist, has been helping to spread the word about causes, such as this one. “It is so heartwarming that Andy’s teammates and the community are organizing this fundraiser on his home field. The AFSP is an outstanding organization and I’m proud to be a field advocate. Last fall, Karyn McGill and Jen Kincer brought out more than 100 Team Andy members wearing sunny yellow T-shirts to the Second Annual Out of the Darkness Walk at Stony Creek Metropark. This is a very personal way to honor his spirit at the high school where he would have been playing — while educating others about suicide prevention education. We start to break the stigma by talking about it and we begin to heal by celebrating the life that touched ours. What a positive and memorable, lasting way to commemorate Andy and help the community come together.” Hook believes 100 percent in helping causes that tackle the issues of suicide.

Suicide Facts

• The annual suicide rate is 12.93 per 100,000 individuals
• Men die by suicide 3.5x more often than women
• On average, there are 117 suicides per day
• White males accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in 2014
• Firearms account for almost 50% of all suicides
• The rate of suicide is highest in middle age — white men in particular