VERSAILLES – The Light Foundation hosted an exclusive dinner with three-time Super Bowl Champion and Darke County native Matt Light. Light shared inspiring stories from his career while supporting the Light Foundation, which empowers 7,500 young people, many from Darke County.
“This is a first for us,” Light said. “We’ve been around for over 22 years and built a base here in Darke County. Much of our support comes from outside the county regarding overall dollars raised. Still, we got to that point where the growth and the trajectory where we want to be, we’re going to need to bring on more partners, so tonight was an opportunity for us to tap into the local network here and introduce what we do and who we are to the people right here in the Darke County and surrounding communities.”
“Even though we are here, sometimes we think that everybody knows what we do, the reality is not everyone has been to Chenoweth Trails, not everyone understands the foundation,” Light continued. “If you say United Way, Boys, and Girls Club, people understand what that represents, and for the Light Foundation, it’s a little obscure; it’s not as easily understood. If you have been out to see one of our programs, you understand what we do. It resonates; you understand it, and you get it. Still, many people don’t, so tonight is an opportunity to introduce who we are, what we do, and where we want to go because, like anything else, it takes a lot of people to make a vision a reality.”
The evening gave Light and the staff an opportunity to talk about the Light Foundation programs while introducing the team and the people behind the scenes along with educating those attending with hopes of taking that education out to the community paying big dividends for where the foundation wants to be in the future.
“This special event showcased the impactful work the Light Foundation is doing to empower young people through leadership development and outdoor education,” said Brandi Turner, Light Foundation Progam and Marketing Manager. “It was a great opportunity for our supporters and community members to see firsthand how we are shaping the next generation of leaders, fostering resilience, and instilling a spirit of service in youth across the country – especially right here in Darke County.”
Most fundraising for the Light Foundation comes from outside the Darke County community.
“That doesn’t mean that we don’t get a ton of support here, we do,” Light stated. “All of our volunteers, if you go to Chenoweth Trails, everything you see people here locally had a hand in making that possible. It’s amazing what people’s talents and resources, like Hank Steinmetz and some of the things he’s done, people like my father (Bill Light), people like Glenn Rehmert, and the people that work at the foundation and their expertise and other businesses that have come out and helped with landscaping, or putting foundations in. There are so many talented people who are all important, and those are the people we want to tap into for the future.”
“We want you to come out to Chenoweth Trails because the more partners we have, the stronger we are,” Light concluded. “The people here locally have given so much, and we want to ensure we can continue that tradition.”
