Vikings' Greenway bringing football camp to Hutchinson

Chad Harlander enjoys working with kids. Whether it’s on the football field, in the weight room or in the classroom, it is his mission to further in the development of youths
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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway also has had a mission with his “Lead The Way” Foundation. It generates revenue to provide aid to local athletics and disadvantaged or disabled children who reside in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

Together, the Chads have put together an event for the summer of 2010 that is sure to bring excitement to many kids in the Hutchinson area.

“I shared with him my mission of working with youth — a similar mission (Chad) and his wife have. I am very excited to announce that the “Lead the Way” Foundation has teamed with the REACH Program of the Hutchinson High School to host a Day to REACH football camp in Hutchinson in the summer of 2010,” said Harlander, REACH Program Coordinator at Hutchinson Schools. “(Chad) is very excited about coming to Hutchinson and providing a great experience for the state of Minnesota.”

Harlander met Greenway while working the “Lead The Way” Foundation camp in Mitchell, S.D., this summer. He said the two hit it off right away.

“It was a great connection right off the bat. We shared our missions and they were very similar,” Harlander said. “What I liked about him was his relationships with the kids one-on-one. He made it a point to shake hands with each kid. That was a big thing for those kids and I really enjoyed that about him.”

After putting on three years of successful camp in his home state, Greenway’s goal was to put on a camp in the state in which he plays for.

“I think this is really huge for our community. The compliment to Hutch was that Chad was familiar with our football program and our tradition,” Harlander said.