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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 6, 2016

Media Contacts:
JoJo Gutfarb, jojo@goodwinpr.com
Margrette Mondillo,
margrette@goodwinpr.com,
508-404-1745

THE LIGHT FOUNDATION LOADS UP FOR ITS 12TH ANNUAL MATT LIGHT
CELEBRITY SHOOT-OUT
Day-long fundraising event benefits the Light Foundation;
Ruger Named as Lead Sponsor: Putnam Investments, Smith & Wesson,
Rockport Mortgage, Tom Niedermeyer, Doug King Builders, Sig Sauer,
Kimber, Winter Wyman, Hasbro and KRAVE Jerky also lend major support

Walpole, MA (September 6, 2016) - The Light Foundation, a nonprofit founded in


2001 by former New England Patriot Matt Light, is preparing for another exciting
Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out fundraiser. The 12 Annual event will take place on
September 13, 2016 at the world-class Addieville East Farm in Mapleville, Rhode
Island.
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Firearms manufacturer RUGER is the lead sponsor, serving as the events Target
Sponsor, and continuing its longtime support of the Light Foundation. Financial
powerhouse Putnam Investments has maintained its partnership as the Fireworks
Sponsor. Tom Niedermeyer is once again supporting the foundation as a Silver
sponsor. Smith & Wesson and Rockport Mortgage are this years Hot Shot
sponsors and for the second year in a row, Kimber firearms joins the list as a
Signage Sponsor, along with Winter Wyman, Doug King Builders and Sig
Sauer.

Shooters in foursomes from all over New England and beyond will converge on
Addieville to mingle with celebrities, enjoy barbecue fare from legendary Smokey
Legends BBQ and snacks from the official snack sponsor, KRAVE Jerky, lakeside
fly fishing, a 3-D pop-up archery course, a Nerf Big Kids Zone, a host of
exhibitions, unique raffles, live and silent auction items and more. After the fastpaced shooting tournament wraps up, renowned steakhouse The Capital Grille will
provide dinner, Harpoon, Three Olives, KEEL Vodka, Fit Vine Wines, Cabin
Fever, Boston Harbor Distillery and Whispering Angel will be pouring the
spirits, Rolling Stogies will once again park its signature mobile cigar lounge tentside to supply hand-rolled cigars, and Cardis Furniture will provide outdoor
seating for guests to enjoy. The after party will feature live music, before Light takes
the stage to run an unforgettable live auction with help from local celebrities,
including WAAF radio personality Greg Hill and actor-comedian Lenny Clarke. The
day will be capped off by a customized fireworks display by American Fireworks
known for its stunning displaysin major cities around the country.

The Shoot-Out offers participants the opportunity to match their shooting skills
against Light and celebrity guests. In the past, attendees have included: New
England Patriots Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Jerod Mayo, Rob Ninkovich,
Julian Edelman, Marcus Cannon, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Ryan
Wendell, Stephen Gostkowski, former teammates Wes Welker, Vince Wilfork,
Deion Branch, Randy Moss, Dan Koppen, Tedy Bruschi, Adam Vinatieri,
Logan Mankins, Dan Connolly, Larry Izzo, Lonnie Paxton, Russ Hochstein,
Ellis Hobbs, Adalius Thomas, Mike Vrabel, Sammy Morris and Joe Andruzzi,
plus Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Andre Tippett and Patriots coach Dante
Scharnecchia. Two of the worlds top shooters, Max Michele, Jr. and Jerry
Miculek, top chefs Ming Tsai and Michael Schlow, musicians Sully from
Godsmack, Martin Sexton, Ryan Montbleau, The Brothers McCann, Matt
Stillwell and Staind front man Aaron Lewis have also performed and participated.
TV star Mike Fourtner of Deadliest Catch, the cast and crew of reality TVs
Wicked Tuna, and actor Kevin Chapman of CBS TVs Person of Interest, U.S.
Olympic figure skater and 2014 bronze medalist Simon Shnapir, U.S. Olympic
figure skater, 2014 bronze medalist Marissa Castelli, 2014 U.S. Olympic silver
medalist in womens hockey, Kelli Stack, and 2012 and 2016 Olympic Wrestler
Elena Pirozhkova have all been part of this unique day.

Most of the celebrities in attendance will engage in the Hot Shot Contest which is
back by popular demand. They are pitted against one another to get their
competitive juices flowing and put on a great show for the guests. Last year, Dan
Koppen took the crown with some impressive, speedy shooting and he is expected
to be on hand to defend his title.

Light says he wanted to develop a unique, high-profile charity event that would
combine raising funds and exposure for his Foundation with his love of the outdoors.
Weve tried to build a unique charity event unlike anything else on the planet.
Golf tournaments and galas are the norm, so our goal was to provide an event that
fits who we are and how we teach leadership skills through outdoor activities. Light
continued, We are in our twelfth year and I am still blown away by the support that
we receive from our generous sponsors, donors, celebrities and volunteers who
come back every year and all the new faces who jump on board after learning
about our mission.

Lights plans to expand the reach of his Foundation are ongoing. This year they
hosted the first ever Light Foundation Leadership Conference for local high school
students and a 2017 Bass Fishing Tournament is in the works. Light says, The
Shoot-Out in particular has been such a great base, monetarily, allowing us to
expand, and continue expanding, our programming to affect change in young
adults. Our goal is to be a beacon for charitable organizations, athletes and
youth, he adds, to work hard, put their best foot forward, and strive to become
champions in the game of life.

Since its inception in 2004, this fundraiser has helped raise over $6 million dollars
for the Light Foundations youth-based initiatives, which consist of various
scholarships, football camps, and outdoor learning experiences. A large portion of
the proceeds have helped expand Chenoweth Trails, a 400-plus acre facility in
Lights hometown of Greenville, OH, where he runs a leadership camp for at-risk
teens from across the country. Light is continually upgrading and expanding the
facility to support larger nonprofit groups efforts, and impact more kids around the
U.S.

Addieville East Farm, founded in 1980, is located on 400 private acres in Mapleville,
Rhode Island, and offers clay shooting, archery, dog training, and fishing. Its also
New Englands premiere pheasant hunting preserve. Each year, manager Jack
OBrien designs two 17-station courses with challenging, high-flying clay targets
specifically for this event. OBrien encourages first-timers to try it out. A fair
majority of the 350-plus shooters who register are not veteran shooters, so
newcomers can arrive early at Addieville for safety lessons and training time.
Awards are given out in several different categories: best overall shooter, top
shooting team, top female shooter, top junior shooter, and top celebrity shooter.

About the Light Foundation:

The Light Foundation (www.mattlightfoundation org) was established in 2001 by 3time Super Bowl Champion and 3-time Pro-Bowler Matt Light. Matt was drafted in
2000 out of Purdue University and become the anchor for the Patriots Offensive
Line until his retirement in 2012. 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 are capable of passing on the torch
of leadership and achievement to their friends and families. Matt Light 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, he won the Pop
Warner Humanitarian Award, and in 2014, was selected by All Sports United as its
Humanitarian of the Year. Since its inception in 2001, the Light Foundation has
raised nearly $6 million for various programs and initiatives. For more information
please check out the Light Foundations social media pages at
www.facebook.com/LightFoundation and www.twitter.com/LightFoundation.
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