How this Virginia Tech legend is sharing hope with ladybugs

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Tech followers know Jon Laaser and know that his tenure because the voice of the Hokies ended abruptly final 12 months.

This ending was not deliberate, a minimum of not by Laaser himself. Nonetheless, it has allowed him to channel his efforts and energies into what he actually believes he was placed on Earth to do – assist those that might have some hassle serving to themselves.

In response to legend, a ladybug is a logo of luck and hope. Jon and Renee Laaser are hoping to make it one in all empathy and understanding as effectively.

The previous voice of the Hokies began his Clear Mountain Air marketing campaign in Blacksburg final fall, promoting t-shirts and different gadgets along with his catchphrase as a solution to elevate cash and consciousness about psychological well being amongst school athletes.

It took off in a means the Laasers could not have imagined.

“We simply thought folks had been being pleasant and being type to purchase our shirts and being good mates and supporters of Jon. However then folks began telling us their tales, my spouse suffered from melancholy or I had somebody in my household take their life,” Renee stated.

“You get into the psychological well being area and into being susceptible and sincere about your personal stuff and the folks that come into your life has simply been unbelievable. That is the place it began,” Jon stated.

The success had the 2 of them pondering increasingly more about how they might assist ease the burden on an overworked psychological well being system within the nation.

As many as 25% of individuals looking for assist can wait greater than three months to see an expert. For Laaser, that situation struck very near dwelling over the vacations when a member of the family was hospitalized for injuring herself attributable to stress.

“For 2 days, sat within the ER, ready for a mattress at a facility. When that occurred over the vacations, we had been like, we’ve got to get off the bench and get into the sport,” Jon stated.

So Jon and Renee based Laaser’s Ladybug Society, geared toward elevating cash and consciousness for the issue, particularly the place kids are involved. They hoped to handle psychological well being points at youthful ages in an effort to maintain them from turning into greater issues once they change into adults.

“We wish to say water the roots and never the leaves. What which means is to attempt to get psychological well being assist and personnel into the colleges in order that when a five-year-old or a seven-year-old into their teen years they usually’re having points of their life and it is so omnipresent with the place we’re in our society that they will truly get that assist proper then,” Jon stated.

Nonetheless, they cannot simply snap their fingers and have the assistance able to go.

They’re beginning with smaller native occasions, like a pickleball event later this summer time and extra deliberate for later within the 12 months.

The funds will initially go to assist faculty packages in Hanover, however the aim is to have the ability to assist faculty programs and packages throughout Central Virginia.

“Extra individuals are speaking about it and opening up and that is nice. However now we even have to repair it and deal with it and are available again as a group and lean on one another,” Renee stated.

“When any person sees the ladybug shirt, would not should be ours with something on it, then they know there are folks on the market that wish to have that dialog,” Jon stated.

Laaser stepped away from his job with the Hokies earlier this 12 months and is now targeted solely on this new undertaking. He might be a case research in making a troublesome choice that results in a larger objective sooner or later.

“Folks that suppose it was straightforward for me to go away, to make that call, it is the toughest factor I’ve ever accomplished,” Jon stated.

“It has been rejuvenating, I would say, as a result of each day we get up and there is a new problem and a brand new aim. We’re studying extra and we all know that all the pieces we’re doing is for a superb trigger and a superb cause,” Renee stated.

Jon’s father Mark was a pioneer within the discipline of counseling and psychological well being consciousness. His passing in September of 2019 started Jon’s change in priorities and renewed curiosity in serving to others discover their very own ladybugs.

“He did one thing very related in his life across the similar age the place he wasn’t positive if that was the suitable path when it comes to the talking and the writing and the books and all the pieces that he did. Optimistically, I am not him however I would wish to be related,” Jon stated.

Jon and Renee don’t have a web site up and operating but however you’ll find details about what the 2 are as much as on Fb.

Their pickleball occasion shall be on June 11 and 12 in Chesterfield and they’ll have extra data quickly about upcoming occasions.