Camper Story: Daniel Hayter
January 30, 2021
Camper Story: Daniel Hayter

Name

Daniel Hayter

Hometown

Burrillville, RI

Leadership Academy Program

Camp Vohokase Class of 2011 – First Class of Graduates from the Vohokase Leadership Program

Daniel’s Story

During his Sophomore year in high school, Dan Hayter had the opportunity to join the first class of young men involved in the Light Foundation’s newly crafted four-year outdoor leadership program, Camp Vohokase.  He knew Matt and Susie Light through his mother, Sally, who helps manage Addieville East Farm, a hunting preserve and clay shooting facility in Mapleville, Rhode Island, that has long hosted the Foundation’s signature annual fundraiser.

The first class of Camp Vohokase hailed from the Woonsocket area of Rhode Island.  Dan’s fellow campers, Julian, Matt, and Dan, traveled to Greenville, Ohio to Chenoweth Trails.  Now a state-of-the-art 500-plus acre facility designed for comprehensive youth programming, it was, back then, a rugged stretch of land with little of the infrastructure present today.  Think canvas tents, cold gravity showers, and man-made campfires, and muddy grounds; rustic would be putting it nicely.  Four young men from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana joined the Rhode Island crew, as part of the Foundation’s goal of cultural exchange between young men from different backgrounds who learned to be responsible, ethical, and accountable leaders as one cohesive group.

Early on, Dan saw the commitment from Matt, Susie, and their extended families to the mission of the Foundation.  Everyone was involved – from running the programming to giving instruction to cooking the meals.  “When you’re there, you always feel like one of them,” he notes.  “I realized later how important that family-oriented approach was to our overall success.”

Dan says he was always interested in the outdoors, but for some of his fellow campers – the on-site activities were brand new.  He says he learned a lot through his friendships with other young men – lessons that served him well in his time since Camp Vohokase spent traveling the globe as an Aircraft Structural Maintenance Engineer for the United States Air Force.  He enlisted shortly after graduating from high school and has spent the better part of a decade in active duty, doing metal fabrication for all parts of military aircraft.

He admits that a lot of what he learned has translated well to a career that’s also based on structure, accountability, and mutual respect. “It had a much bigger impact on me than I realized at the time.  Even if the lessons aren’t one-to-one with what I’m doing now, they’re always in the back of my mind, helping me make the right choices, and be of service to others.”

The ability to come back in the summer of 2020 as a counselor for Camp Vohokase provided Dan Hayter with a full, 360-degree view, a perspective he hopes all campers will be able to do at some future point in their adult lives.  He says he understands where they’re at when they come to Chenoweth Trails – resistant to change, not interested in authority, and focused on fun – and he can identify with what they’re feeling.  “Matt and Susie’s commitment to me was very evident to me, even as a young man, and the lessons the Light Foundation taught me to resonate with me until this day.  I’ll do all I can to give back by paying those lessons forward to new generations of young men.”  He’ll be doing just that this coming summer as a counselor once again, welcoming the new class from the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Northern Maine.

Main Ellijah Picture
Dan_Hayter_speaking
“It had a much bigger impact on me than I realized at the time.  Even if the lessons aren’t one-to-one with what I’m doing now, they’re always in the back of my mind, helping me make the right choices, and be of service to others.”

– Daniel Hayter

Get In Touch

440 Greenville Nashville Road
Greenville, OH 45331
(937) 316-6352

1 Merchant St. #4
Sharon, MA 02067

For media requests, please email margrette@mattlight72.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Latest Posts

20th Annual Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out

20th Annual Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out

Hello Friends, We are beyond thrilled to share that the 20th Annual Matt Light Celebrity Shoot-Out, presented by Rockport Mortgage Corporation, was a resounding success, breaking records with an incredible $1 million raised! With over 500 attendees, more new and...

read more
Limited Time Offer from SIG SAUER!

Limited Time Offer from SIG SAUER!

Celebrate 20 years of excellence with two exclusive limited edition commemorative guns from SIG SAUER! These stunning pieces feature a custom engraving of the Light Foundation logo, making it a perfect collectible for enthusiasts and supporters alike. It's not just a...

read more
2024 Camp Vohokase

2024 Camp Vohokase

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, welcomed 15 campers to its outdoor leadership camp - Camp Vohokase. The 8-day outing was held June 20th through June 27th,...

read more