GREENVILLE—The Light Foundation held its 11th annual Gauntlet Saturday morning. 524 runners took to the muddy course, including 449 5K runners and 75 kids in the Kids Race.
In 2001, former NFL player Matt Light and his wife Susie established The Light Foundation to help young people develop the skills, values, and mindset they need to create a meaningful and productive future.
“We’re always looking for ways to continue our positive impact on young people, and I’m so grateful for anyone helping us achieve our goal,” Light Foundation Co-Founder Matt Light, a three-time Super Bowl winner and former New England Patriot, said. “It is a great opportunity to invest in the future of our communities.”
Rain on Friday and through the week helped make the trails extra muddy for a near-perfect course.
Light noted that “the added water from the rainy week helped make the course more challenging and, of course, more fun for those who participated.”
Bryce Shilt was the overall winner, and Mandy Tegtmeyer was the top female. KitchenAid was the largest team, and Whirlpool was the largest school.
“It’s pretty amazing that our small but mighty staff members complete all of the prep work,” Light stated. Of course, it takes a lot of volunteers on the day of to make this event happen, too.”
More than 100 volunteers – Volunteer Groups: Dylan Williams Foundation with 72 volunteers, Light Foundation Scholarship recipients, Mississinawa Valley Athletic Boosters, Mississinawa Cross Country Team, Fort Recovery Cross Country Team, Greenville Federal Bank, Phil & Sheri Baker, Jason Rice, Kate Rehmert, Jen & Joey Eden, Marilyn Light, Daren Hiatt, the Newbauer Family, and more.
This year’s event has garnered support from numerous local sponsors, including McBo’s Bowling Alley, Sunny D Vodka Seltzer, KitchenAid, American Legion Post #140, Jafe Decorating, Inc., Cox Insurance, My County Link, Doss Business Systems, Newbauer Family, VPP, Wolf Tent, Darke Elks Benevolence Group, Prosperity Promotions, and Ruble’s Painting Service.
“There are so many groups who volunteer, such as the Mississinawa Valley Athletic Boosters, Fort Recovery Cross Country, and Greenville Federal Bank, but the largest volunteer group is the Dylan Williams Foundation,” Light stated. “They bring in more than 70 people to volunteer on the course, and in return for their large effort, we donate a portion of the proceeds from the Gauntlet to help them supply AED machines to like-minded organizations.”
“Our team is always looking for ways to make this fundraising event more interactive and enjoyable for the community,” Light concluded. “This year, besides a few new obstacles, we also invited a couple of food trucks to come out and join the fun. The crowd seemed to love that.”
