The 8-day leadership camp in Ohio promotes responsibility, ethics, accountability, and hard work for select youth from across the country
GREENVILLE, Ohio…The Light Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2001 by three-time Super Bowl Champion and former New England Patriot Matt Light and his wife Susie, will welcome four new campers this month from Plant City, Florida, to its outdoor leadership camp – Camp Vohokase. The 8-day outing will be held June 20th through June 27th, 2024, on the Foundation’s 500-plus acre facility, Chenoweth Trails in Greenville, Ohio. The theme for this year’s camp is “Make it Matter.”
Camp Vohokase, the Light Foundation’s premier outdoor leadership camp, brings together 16 young men from various parts of the country who have had a significant impact on Matt and Susie’s lives. Held at Chenoweth Trails, the camp focuses on being: R.E.A.L.” – developing responsible, ethical, accountable leaders. Through a combination of outdoor activities and hands-on learning experiences, the Light Foundation team mentors these young men throughout their high school years, with regular weekly check-ins. Upon completing the 4-year program, participants graduate equipped with the skills needed to inspire leadership in their own communities. This year’s new campers hail from Plant City, continuing the tradition of drawing participants from across the United States, including Ohio, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.
Campers will embark on a dynamic journey blending both enjoyment and educational enrichment. They are exposed to a lot of experiences they likely don’t see in their hometowns. From thrilling team-building exercises like paintball, a ropes course and competitive dodgeball and basketball tournaments, to fishing excursions, archery, dirt bike riding and other engaging leadership activities, there’s something for everyone. Each night, they gather for fireside chats to reflect and bond. Alongside the fun, campers will learn about necessary life skills, such as financial literacy and effective communication, and tackle real-world scenarios through problem-solving activities. They’ll have the chance to explore career paths with educational tours in construction and blacksmithing, gaining insights into these trades. Before they leave, the young men will also complete a community service project – this year it involves cleaning up the Greenville City Park. Campers will be equipped with not just memorable experiences, but also invaluable knowledge by the time they head back home.
This year, Camp Vohokase will graduate Dalton N., Xavier N., and Isiah N., all members of the class of three young men from the Passamaquoddy Tribe in northern Maine. For Camp Director Nathan Cole, it will be a momentous occasion. “I am very excited to be taking part in my very first Camp Vohokase. It will be my first opportunity to see all of our classes take part in all the activities, learning opportunities, and educational experiences Camp Vohokase has to offer.” He promises that “Camp 2024 will feature fantastic guest speakers, skill building exercises, career and vocational demonstrations, and an unlimited amount of sporting and outdoor events. We will also be able to honor our graduating class of outstanding young men from Maine. This Camp will be one that all Campers and Counselors will truly enjoy.”
Light’s plan for Chenoweth Trails also continues to evolve. What began as a few tents in the woods has become a 500-plus acre facility with yurts, a cooking area, pavilion, a turf field, sports court, gaga pit, rock balancing, trails, team building elements, amphitheater, treehouse, bell tower, covered bridge and a welcome center. The facility is also used by other nonprofits – free of charge – to host their programming. Chenoweth Trails plays host to nearly 8000 youth and families for a variety of different programs and initiatives.
“Though they come from various backgrounds, they quickly realize their experiences share similarities, whether they’re dealing with personal struggles or roadblocks. Here, they connect, realize they aren’t alone in facing these challenges, and get the opportunity to grow outside their comfort zones,” Light adds. “Watching them transform into leaders and assist others along the way shows that we’ve accomplished our mission – and that’s incredibly rewarding.”
For the Light Foundation, making a difference is what it is 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 the Light Foundation, please visit www.mattlight72.com.
About the Light Foundation:
The Light Foundation (www.mattlight72.com) was established in 2001 by three-time Super Bowl Champion and three-time Pro-Bowler Matt Light, and his wife, Susie. The Light Foundation strives to instill and augment the values of responsibility, accountability, and hard work by providing youth with unique outdoor learning experiences that assist them in reaching their highest potential. Its goal is to lead young people down a path to becoming responsible members of their communities who can pass on the torch of leadership and achievement to their friends and families. Light was drafted in 2001 out of Purdue University and was the anchor for the Patriots offensive line for more than a decade, before retiring in 2012. He received the third New England Patriots Ron Burton Community Service Award in 2005, and in 2008, was presented the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his outstanding work in the community by the Bush administration. In 2012, Light was named Pop Warner’s Humanitarian of the Year, in 2014, was honored with All Sports United’s Humanitarian Award, and in 2015 received the Man of the Year award from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s New England chapter. In 2018, Light was named to the Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list, and in 2019, was also named to the publication’s “Power 50” lineup. Matt Light was also inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 2018. Since its inception in 2001, the Light Foundation has raised more than $9 million for various programs and initiatives.