Blue Jackets organization stepping up in community during pandemic

There was no pizza song blaring over the loudspeaker at central Ohio Kroger stores on Tuesday, but there were a lot of happy people who like pizza come lunch and dinner time.

Thanks to a donation from Blue Jackets players Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand, workers at 29 of those Kroger locations received a free meal of Papa John's pizzas Tuesday afternoon.

More than 625 pizzas were delivered as part of the good deed, just one of the latest undertaken by members of the Blue Jackets organization in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

While the situation has changed life as we know it for the time being, it has also installed an appreciation for the front-line workers who are helping society as a whole get through these unprecedented times, which is one reason Dubois and Bjorkstrand wanted to do what they can to help.

"We asked the team to help us figure out what we can do, about] any opportunities to help," [Dubois told NHL.com. "The people in the hospitals are working extremely hard, but the workers at the grocery stores are there stocking up every day, and I'm sure they have a lot of work to do and they're in that zone where it's scary because a lot of people are coming in. But they have to do their job to keep the food on the shelves."

"P-L reached out to me and asked if I wanted to be a part of helping out a little bit," Bjorkstrand told BlueJackets.com. "I thought it was a good idea. Obviously you're seeing a lot of people trying to help out in small ways, and even though it might be a small thing, small things can help people and I'm happy to be a part of that."

Tweet from @brettdillon12: @BlueJacketsNHL Everyone at Brewers yard Kroger says.... pic.twitter.com/MVmjPb98g2

The organization as a whole has always had a community focus -- more than 7,000 hours were volunteered by Blue Jackets staff, players and Lady Jackets a year ago -- and that has not changed during the pandemic.

A number of players in addition to Dubois and Bjorkstrand have stepped up in recent weeks, something captain Nick Foligno is part of the culture that has been established in the team's dressing room.

"The list goes on with the guys, the way they've taken initiatives and run with them," said Foligno, last year's team community MVP who will serve as the honorary chair of the 2020 Central Ohio Heart Walk in August. "I'm really proud to be a part of a team like that. It shows a lot about the character in the room."

Below are just some of the initiatives that Blue Jackets players and the organization have undertaken to help the community in the midst of the pandemic.

Cam Atkinson:Donated to Fairfield County Hospitals through his Force Network Fund; He and his wife Natalie bought food for the nurses on call when they were in for the delivery of his son, Caden, during March; Established Force Network Fund Virtual 5K (June 4-7) to benefit hospital workers and first responders.

Seth Jones:Joined other athletes in the CCM family to donate 500,000 surgical masks to healthcare workers; Appeared in Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's #InThisTogetherOhio PSA.

Nathan Gerbe:Bought lunch and grocery gift cards for front line workers at University Hospitals Landbrook COVID-19 testing site in the Cleveland area; Bought pizza lunch and did a Q&A with Ohio Guidestone, a foster care & family services organization, in the Cleveland area; Has teamed with 614 Hockey on a t-shirt in which a portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit the CBJ Foundation.

Eric Robinson:Played Fortnite online with his brother, Buddy, and Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau to raise money for American Cancer Society in South Jersey.

Pierre-Luc Dubois:Bought 23 grocery baskets (one per room) for the Senior Residence Julie-Viger in Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Quebec, where his grandmother is a resident.

Players/Lady Jackets:Bought 7,000 individual meals for families utilizing the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus.

Blue Jackets Foundation:Using team- and player-signed items for weekly online auctions in support of local community partners' COVID-19 efforts (LSS Choices, Columbus Recreation & Parks, Children's Hunger Alliance, YMCA, Community Shelter Board); Public address announcer Greg Murray has voiced Cameo videos for fans with proceeds benefitting the CBJ Foundation.