Community Moment | Jacob Mathieu always gets involved
When the Rimouski Océanic organization is looking for players to organize activities within the community, the first hand that goes up always belongs to Jacob Mathieu.
The young man from Saint-Odilon, Quebec, is the kind of person who literally wears his heart on his sleeve.
“It’s definitely not a chore. I’m always the first to say yes!” he laughs. “I love getting involved in the community. Recently, we held an event with the police to reward good drivers in school zones. The cops stopped the cars, and we gave them hockey tickets to thank them for their good driving,” says the 19-year-old.
“When you see a policeman, you often feel like you’ve done something wrong. But [people] were happy to see that we were there to reward them instead. Many told us they wanted to come and watch us play with their families. I could see that we made their day and that they were happy [to receive tickets].”
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in Jacob Mathieu’s case, as his whole family has always been very involved in their community.
“For example, my mother has always been on the parent council at my elementary school. My father was always involved in hockey when I was growing up, and he’s currently involved in politics. They’re really the ones who helped me develop this love for getting involved in pretty much everything.”
Last year, the forward used one of his mother’s recipes to make granola bars, which were then sold at the Marché Claudin Malenfant. All profits generated by this one-of-a-kind activity were then donated to the Fondation de l’Hôpital de Rimouski.
Later this fall, the new Océanic captain will take part in visits of the region’s different schools with some of his teammates, to both meet and get to know the team’s younger fans.
“We’re really going to make sure the kids have a great day,” explains the left winger. “The children are very close to us. We’re role models for them and it’s important to set a good example. I remember how impressed I was when I saw a QMJHL player when I was younger.”
Today, it’s Jacob Mathieu’s turn to carry on those traditions in his adoptive community.
“Rimouski is a very good hockey city and we’re really grateful for that. I think it’s important to give back as much as we can to the people of the region. It’s the least we can do!”
