New England Patriot Matt Light Kicks Off Annual Outdoor Leadership Camp at Chenoweth Trails Facility in Greenville, Ohio
The Light Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2001 by three-time Super Bowl Champion and former New England Patriot Matt Light, is once again preparing for its annual Outdoor Leadership Camp. The 10-day program will be held June 23rd to July 2nd, 2013, at Camp Vohokase, located at the Foundation’s 400-plus acre facility, Chenoweth Trails, in Greenville, Ohio.
Reflecting the vision and mission of the Light Foundation, the camp aims to instill and augment the values of responsibility, accountability and hard work by providing youth with unique outdoor learning experiences that assist them in meeting, and exceeding all of their goals. “These kids have had a little trouble, need a little bit of positive direction, and can really benefit from what we do here at Camp Vohokase,” says Light. “We’re all about getting the kids into the outdoors and teaching them respect, accountability – and real life skills that will help them become the leaders of tomorrow. We want them to get some real fun out of it, too,” he adds.
Chenoweth Trails continues to evolve in both participation and infrastructure. This summer, the Foundation will graduate three seniors from West Lafayette, Indiana -- the third ‘class’ to complete all four years of the program – and will continue to extend its reach, welcoming four incoming ‘freshman’ from Worcester, MA. Each summer, the Camp routinely hosts approximately sixteen boys – four groups selected from a variety of different communities across the country. They attend from Rhode Island, where Light holds his annual fundraising event; West Lafayette, Indiana, where he played at Purdue University, Nashville, Tennessee, where a local youth organization looking to build leadership into an existing program is located; and now Worcester, MA, an urban area close to Foxboro, MA, home of Light’s former team, the New England Patriots. Light plans to expand the number of campers each year, and the Foundation tracks all who attend year-round, to ensure they stay on course.
The facility itself has grown dramatically within recent years; it now boasts living quarters known as yurts, a state-of-the-art cooking and eating area, outdoor fireplace and fire pit, electricity, running water, miles of trails, a pond, an outdoor amphitheatre and parking lot -- and within just the last year, a new timber frame pavilion, turf field, and adjacent kitchen and bathroom facility. During the year, the facility holds other community-based events, and also lends its property to nonprofits like the Boy Scouts and the YMCA.
A product of community-oriented mentality and industrious fervor, Camp Vokohase proves a tangible symbol of the power of diligence, dependability, and commitment – a true embodiment of the Camp’s mission. Throughout the ten-day program, the campers will participate in various on-site and community-based programs intended to meet these objectives, including trail-based activities – such as fishing and archery – a community service project, and site visits to various businesses. This year the campers will be serving the community at The Brethren Retirement Community where the boys will lead Bingo, prepare and serve lunch, and entertain residents through various activities. The group will also tour two companies on career day: Neff Co and The Dayton Daily News. While within the camp, the boys will enjoy a Camp Yale ropes course, canoeing, paint ball competition, dirt bike riding, a camp project, and engage in “fireside chats” about goals and expectations. Light says it’s the combination of fun, service and hard work that is often transformative for the boys.
While the campers admit the conditions are “rustic,” many agree the experience is life-altering. “This camp changed my life dramatically,” says former camper, Dustin Waymire. “When I first came here, I was socially awkward. I was angry all the time…angry at the world. They took me in here, and built up my confidence and self-esteem,” he adds, “I can’t say enough about Matt Light. He had faith in me even when I didn’t have it in myself.”
Though recently retired from the New England Patriots, the former NFL offensive tackle is anything but slowing down. Light continues to immerse himself within his Foundation, creating and executing a variety of programs and initiatives beyond Camp Vohokase, including a youth turkey hunt in Ohio, and academic scholarships in Ohio and Massachusetts. Post-Camp, he’s gearing up for a 5k trail run/obstacle race at Chenoweth Trails in August called “The Gauntlet,” and his signature fundraiser, the 9th Annual Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out, a clay shooting tournament taking place this October in Mapleville, Rhode Island.
For the Light Foundation, making a difference is what it’s all about. “We want to be a beacon for charitable organizations, athletes and youth,” notes Light, “to work hard, put their best foot forward, and strive to become champions in the game of life.”
For more information about Camp Vohokase or the Chenoweth Trails facility, contact Brian Rehmert at 937.732.4258. For media inquiries or interview requests, contact The Goodwin Group, at 508-404-1745.
The Light Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2001 by three-time Super Bowl Champion and former New England Patriot Matt Light, is once again preparing for its annual Outdoor Leadership Camp. The 10-day program will be held June 23rd to July 2nd, 2013, at Camp Vohokase, located at the Foundation’s 400-plus acre facility, Chenoweth Trails, in Greenville, Ohio.
Reflecting the vision and mission of the Light Foundation, the camp aims to instill and augment the values of responsibility, accountability and hard work by providing youth with unique outdoor learning experiences that assist them in meeting, and exceeding all of their goals. “These kids have had a little trouble, need a little bit of positive direction, and can really benefit from what we do here at Camp Vohokase,” says Light. “We’re all about getting the kids into the outdoors and teaching them respect, accountability – and real life skills that will help them become the leaders of tomorrow. We want them to get some real fun out of it, too,” he adds.
Chenoweth Trails continues to evolve in both participation and infrastructure. This summer, the Foundation will graduate three seniors from West Lafayette, Indiana -- the third ‘class’ to complete all four years of the program – and will continue to extend its reach, welcoming four incoming ‘freshman’ from Worcester, MA. Each summer, the Camp routinely hosts approximately sixteen boys – four groups selected from a variety of different communities across the country. They attend from Rhode Island, where Light holds his annual fundraising event; West Lafayette, Indiana, where he played at Purdue University, Nashville, Tennessee, where a local youth organization looking to build leadership into an existing program is located; and now Worcester, MA, an urban area close to Foxboro, MA, home of Light’s former team, the New England Patriots. Light plans to expand the number of campers each year, and the Foundation tracks all who attend year-round, to ensure they stay on course.
The facility itself has grown dramatically within recent years; it now boasts living quarters known as yurts, a state-of-the-art cooking and eating area, outdoor fireplace and fire pit, electricity, running water, miles of trails, a pond, an outdoor amphitheatre and parking lot -- and within just the last year, a new timber frame pavilion, turf field, and adjacent kitchen and bathroom facility. During the year, the facility holds other community-based events, and also lends its property to nonprofits like the Boy Scouts and the YMCA.
A product of community-oriented mentality and industrious fervor, Camp Vokohase proves a tangible symbol of the power of diligence, dependability, and commitment – a true embodiment of the Camp’s mission. Throughout the ten-day program, the campers will participate in various on-site and community-based programs intended to meet these objectives, including trail-based activities – such as fishing and archery – a community service project, and site visits to various businesses. This year the campers will be serving the community at The Brethren Retirement Community where the boys will lead Bingo, prepare and serve lunch, and entertain residents through various activities. The group will also tour two companies on career day: Neff Co and The Dayton Daily News. While within the camp, the boys will enjoy a Camp Yale ropes course, canoeing, paint ball competition, dirt bike riding, a camp project, and engage in “fireside chats” about goals and expectations. Light says it’s the combination of fun, service and hard work that is often transformative for the boys.
While the campers admit the conditions are “rustic,” many agree the experience is life-altering. “This camp changed my life dramatically,” says former camper, Dustin Waymire. “When I first came here, I was socially awkward. I was angry all the time…angry at the world. They took me in here, and built up my confidence and self-esteem,” he adds, “I can’t say enough about Matt Light. He had faith in me even when I didn’t have it in myself.”
Though recently retired from the New England Patriots, the former NFL offensive tackle is anything but slowing down. Light continues to immerse himself within his Foundation, creating and executing a variety of programs and initiatives beyond Camp Vohokase, including a youth turkey hunt in Ohio, and academic scholarships in Ohio and Massachusetts. Post-Camp, he’s gearing up for a 5k trail run/obstacle race at Chenoweth Trails in August called “The Gauntlet,” and his signature fundraiser, the 9th Annual Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out, a clay shooting tournament taking place this October in Mapleville, Rhode Island.
For the Light Foundation, making a difference is what it’s all about. “We want to be a beacon for charitable organizations, athletes and youth,” notes Light, “to work hard, put their best foot forward, and strive to become champions in the game of life.”
For more information about Camp Vohokase or the Chenoweth Trails facility, contact Brian Rehmert at 937.732.4258. For media inquiries or interview requests, contact The Goodwin Group, at 508-404-1745.