Blue Jackets have fun for a good cause at The CannonBall

Hockey and style can go hand in hand, or head in hat as the Blue Jackets learned Thursday night.

At the annual Columbus Blue Jackets The CannonBall fundraiser, the theme highlighted blues, jazz and the outfits that go along with them. As such, Erik Gudbranson became a bit of an MVA – Most Valuable Accessorizer – not only wearing a stylish hat of his own but also providing captain Boone Jenner with his own chapeau.

“I’m a hat guy,” Gudbranson said. “I have a few of these things.”

While Gudbranson was happy to look the part, he also understood the night at KEMBA Live! was about much more than just style. What is billed as the biggest party of the year is also the Blue Jackets Foundation’s biggest fundraiser, this year bringing in more than $400,000 to allow the foundation to make a difference in its pillars of pediatric cancer, health and safety, education and youth hockey.

“These are necessary events, and we should take a lot of pride in doing them and hosting,” Gudbranson said. “This is a beautiful venue, lots of fun. We enjoy the conversations, the camaraderie, that comes out of it, but at the end of the day, we’re raising some money for a great cause.”

In fact, this year, the generosity of the community has allowed the foundation to pour $1.3 million into the Columbus and Central Ohio communities through its grant cycle, extending its outlay to more than $14 million since its inception in the year 2000.

The work of the Blue Jackets Foundation reaches far, from removing barriers for youngsters to play the game of hockey to building playgrounds around Central Ohio to its partnerships that bring sunny days to those battling pediatric cancer.

“When I was initially preparing my remarks for tonight, I had a slew of numbers and data points I was going to share with you,” Andee Cochren, executive director of the CBJ Foundation, said during remarks at The CannonBall. “But the numbers don’t tell all the personal stories. Our impact at the foundation is greater than numbers on a sheet. We create smiles, we create hope, we help support and we provide opportunity.”

The night’s program also celebrated a $250,000 grant investment in Ruling Our eXperiences, which provides research-backed resources and programs to help girls use their voice and embrace their confidence. As part of the CBJ Foundation grant, more than 1,500 students will be impacted through an evidence-based 20-week Social Emotional Learning curriculum that helps female students achieve success.

Lisa Hinkelman, founder and CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences, spoke of the pressures young women face in today’s society and expressed her gratitude to the Foundation for its grant.

“The pressures are starting earlier, the outcomes are becoming much more troubling,” Hinkelman said. “All of our girls need support in lot of ways. They need social support, emotional support, interpersonal support, academic support, athletic support. They need opportunities to try out their voice and their slap shot. They need to be surrounded by a community that believes in their worth and that values them as a girl and as a hockey player.”

The CannonBall also featured a silent auction, exclusive photo opportunities, a performance by the award-winning blues band Bywater Call, and appearances from the players on the Blue Jackets roster, front office members, alumni and broadcasters, including emcee Dave Maetzold of Bally Sports.

When all was said and done, a good time for a good cause was had by all, including CBJ alternate captain Zach Werenski.

“It’s awesome,” Werenski said. “Obviously a lot of people come here and donate a lot of money to help lots of different organizations, and I think for us to come here and give our time and chat with supporters of the team, supporters of the foundation, it’s awesome for everyone.”

To learn more about the CBJ Foundation, visit bluejackets.com/foundation.