Are you or is someone you know considering suicide?
In La Crosse Dial 2-1-1
Nationally Dial 1-800-784-2433
If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, we’d walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.
MEET JOE
Joseph D. Clements
June 22, 1988 - March 10, 2008
The short dash between these dates represents so many wonderful, funny, special stories about this beautiful, smart, creative, caring young man.
Joe and all the other beautiful children would have stayed longer if they could.
Joe was just Joe.
“Joe was unique; he was his own person,” says his father, Dave Clements. “He was smart, loved music, and was a computer geek. He knew more about computers than his high school teachers. They told us that in parent teacher conferences.”
To the outside world, Joe was an ordinary teenager. But inside, he was battling depression. It proved to be more horrible than any of his loved ones could imagine. Joe committed suicide at age 19.
In a courageous effort to raise awareness and to prevent other families from experiencing the tremendous pain of losing someone to suicide, Dave Clements and his family – wife Carlynn and daughter Sarah - established the Joe Was Just Joe Foundation.
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If we can get people the help they need, we can prevent suicide. Within just two days of Joe’s death, we knew we had to do something to tell others about suicide and to stop others from making the wrong decision. About one year later, the foundation began in 2009. We named it ‘Joe Was Just Joe,’ because we were always saying that, "Joe is Just Joe". Joe was a very unique person.
For the past five years, we have visited schools and other organizations, and have assisted the La Crosse Area Suicide Prevention Initiative (SPI), a group that’s also worked diligently to raise awareness and hope in the community since 2004.
The Joe Was Just Joe Foundation helped to sponsor the first annual Suicide Summit, held for the past three years by SPI, along with an annual Suicide Awareness Walk each fall. Our foundation continues to be a major supporter of the summit. We also sponsor scholarships for people who want to attend the summit but cannot afford the registration fee. In 2013 we paid for 13 individuals to attend, many of who had lost a loved one to suicide.
Suicide Warning
Signs
Most people that take their own lives exhibit one or more behavioral indicators evident in the things they say or do. Knowing how to recognize them in others can save lives.
- Threatening or talking about suicide
- Depression for an extended period of time
- Statements of hopelessness
- Giving away prized possessions
- Preoccupation with death and dying
- Trouble eating or sleeping
- Staying in bed or sleeping for extended periods of time
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Saying goodbye
- Going into isolation
- Purchasing a firearm
- Previous attempts of suicide
- Taking unnecessary risks
- Loss of interest in personal appearance
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs
Source: American Academy of Child &
Adolescent Psychiatry
Events
JWJJ Foundation Annual Fundraiser
The JoeWasJustJoe Foundation’s annual fundraiser includes a raffle, silent auction, and other activities. Schmidty’s will donate 20% of all proceeds from day to the Foundation. The Packers play the Cowboys at 3:25.
TO DONATE ITEMS for the event please call 608-788-1621 or email us at Clements.djc@gmail.com. We can come pick up your donation or you can mail it to us at 2026 Barnabee Road, La Crosse, WI 54601-7001.
See you there!
Calendar for 2017:
JWJJ Foundation Annual Fundraiser
Sunday, Oct 8, 2017 Packers play at 3:25 PM
Schmidty's, 3119 State Road, La Crosse
Mini Donut 1/2 Marathon
Saturday, Sept 16, 2017
Onalaska to Trempealeau
Suicide Prevention Awareness Event
Tuesday, Sept 19, 2017 - 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Riverside Park, La Crosse
Suicide Prevention Summit
Wed, Sept 20, 2017 - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Radisson Hotel Ballroom, La Crosse