Virtual Event Featured Dungeons and Dragons Celebrities and Icons
Washington, D.C. (May 26, 2020) – Jasper’s Game Day (JGD), a tabletop gaming organization out of Michigan, held the second annual Jasper’s Game Week May 2 – 7, 2020, convening some of the world’s biggest names in Dungeons and Dragons, including Satine Phoenix, Matthew Lillard, Anna Prosser, Chris Perkins, Todd Stashwick, Chris Lindsay, Matt Forbeck, Jim Zub, David Blue, Jason Charles Miller, Greg Tito, Todd Kenreck, Amy Lynn Dzura, Stefan Pokorny, Kailey Bray, Goldie Chan, Pat Rothfuss, The Dungeon Run cast, and others and produced by MTD Jake. The event brought more than 3000 live viewers over Twitch to watch incredible game play with the masters and to raise money for suicide prevention. The group managed to raise nearly $20,000 for the American Association of Suicidology’s youth-focused program, the National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide and for local crisis centers across the country. One of the biggest fundraisers of its kind, the organizers for JGD have shown the power of connection and relationships built during gaming can lead to incredible, real-world, life-saving outcomes. Next year’s streaming event is already being planned for May 1-6, 2021.
”Jasper’s Game week went better than I could’ve ever hoped for,” said Fenway Jones, founder and creator of Jasper’s Game Day. “The community came together to help support a very important cause and rallied to break donation goals even when we have to keep ourselves at home. I am so incredibly honored to be a part of such an amazing and supportive community!”
As a followup to this groundbreaking event, JGD will be hosting an online role playing game convention August 28-30, 2020. In addition, Fenway will be hosting her very own Dungeons and Dragons streaming show on gildinglight.tv this June.
“The 3rd annual Jasper’s Game Day live stream this year was incredible! 60 hours of live content with people from around the globe is an amazing feat,” said Satine Phoenix, Founder of Gildinglight.tv and world renowned dungeon master. “It is even more impressive that 17 year old Fenway Jones and her father put it all together with their real life adventuring team. It’s been an honor to watch this event grow and to see the entire Dungeons and Dragons community band together to support mental health programs.”
“Jasper’s Game Day, and their charity Dungeons and Dragons games, brought together dozens of gamers over the course of a week,” said Amy Lynn Dzura Community Manager D&D Adventurers League. “Due to quarantine conditions across the country, the games could not be held in person, but changing to an online event enabled even more members of the D&D community to come together in support of AAS. We are so incredibly proud of everything that Fenway and the Jasper’s team accomplishes for suicide prevention and awareness, all through the power of gaming”
Tabletop gaming, including role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons, have been shown to positively impact players’ mental health by increasing confidence, utilizing leadership and communication skills, and teamwork. Gaming in these settings also reduces isolation, a known risk factor for suicide, but also tends to create and maintain long-lasting friendships for youth and adults alike.
“We are so excited to be working with Fenway, and even more impressed by her passion, energy, and dedication around our cause,” said Amy Kulp, Director of the National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide. “Through Jasper’s Game Day, Fenway is not only raising much-needed funding for youth suicide prevention, she is also providing information for and starting important conversations with those in the gaming community.”
For the Media: Responsible reporting on suicide, including stories of hope and resilience, can prevent more suicides. Please visit the Suicide Reporting Recommendations for more information.
About AAS: The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center volunteers, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
About Jasper’s Game Day: After losing two close friends as a high schooler, Jasper’s Game Day founder, Fenway Jones decided to use her and her friends’ passion for Dungeons and Dragons to help raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. JGD works to donate and distribute proceeds of the program to crisis centers across the US, helping them to answer the calls of those desperately in need of emotional support.
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