Plans for a beautiful October wedding for Lauren Ludwig and Kyle Conrad, were scheduled to take place on October 29th, 2011. Not only would the day mark the beginning of their life together, but would serve as the highlight of their story and their lifelong friendship. “Kyle and I grew up together as members of Immanuel UCC in Shillington and going to Governor Mifflin. We were involved in Sunday School and Youth Group together and we became good friends. Our mothers were also friends and could see a special bond between us and sometimes we could sense some plotting going on between them,” Lauren recalls.
“Once we graduated, we went our separate ways; I to Penn State, and Kyle to Elizabethtown College. We did not see much of each other over the next handful of years until the unexpected death of Kyle’s father, Curt Conrad, in 2007. I spent a lot of time with Kyle then just trying to be a supportive friend as he was grieving, and as the months progressed, we went on one date which became the magical night from which a beautiful relationship followed. Our families naturally blended together and it felt like a divine union.”
The couple prepared for a traditional fall wedding, but instead were blindsided by a major snowstorm, with trees and power lines down everywhere, except at Immanuel UCC where they first met and took their vows, and at the Sovereign Performing Arts Center where 200 people managed to make it to the reception. “We made the best of it; we believed that Kyle’s Dad, who was a lineman for the electric company prior to his death, kept the lights on for us. It was a beautiful day in its own way.”
Lauren and Kyle became the parents of two boys; Logan, born in 2013, and Carson born in 2016, and settled into building a life for their young family. Athletics played a major role in Kyle’s life, and he set out to build a career in this field, as a coach and mentor. Kyle was a three-sport athlete at Governor Mifflin High School.
“Sports were huge for Kyle – baseball, basketball, and soccer won him the award for best all-around athlete, but his true passion was basketball which he excelled in at Elizabethtown College, a 1,000-point scorer, leading his team to three conference championship games during his career. He was twice named the team’s MVP.” After college, Kyle coached Mifflin’s 9th grade team while working at Penske Truck Leasing. In 2009 and 2010 he assisted at Brandywine, and in 2014 coached the JV Boys at Governor Mifflin. He then went on to become the head coach at Mifflin for four seasons.
In March of 2019 Kyle became extremely ill, his symptoms leading to a cancer diagnosis, but by the end of that year he was declared cancer free. Sadly, in March of 2021 the cancer returned, and Kyle passed away in September 2022.
“It is one of those things, you never know how strong you are until you have to be. The love we had between us and that we were surrounded by is what really helped get us through. When you are a parent, you will do anything for your kids, and you also lean on those around you for support. My kids are my biggest motivation. Kyle and I shared a deep love, and while he was sick, we told one another that we were going to get through this. When things did not go the way we had hoped, our faith assured us that we would be ok no matter what. The faith we shared still exists, and the love and connection did not go anywhere; it just changed form. He is still there loving and guiding us as always. Thankfully, as a couple we made plans in the event that if something ever happened to one of us, our family would be secure. This forethought has allowed me to be there for my sons and work to establish this legacy to honor Kyle.”
“I will always feel that Kyle and I did this together. I feel his presence so strongly and he sends me messages. I knew that I wanted to do something in the community in his memory, to keep his spirit alive and help others in his name. Kyle’s greatest passion was mentoring young people, from a youth group leader to coaching young players; he felt compelled to teach them about being good quality humans. I want people to continue to know him by our work mentoring and supporting teens, through the three pillars which embodied Kyle; coaching, connections, and community.”
It started with a song. “Kyle and I were very big Disney fans. He loved to sing, and one of his favorites to sing together was Now I See the Light from the movie Tangled. I remember watching an All Saints Day service at Immanuel after Kyle passed. They lit a bunch of candles, and Kyle was one who was remembered at the service. I felt like I was seeing all of these lanterns of lights together, and I thought to myself C for Conrad, Coach – it all came together. Going through what we went through, seeing the light in whatever happens, that is how we heal the world. It very much aligned with our relationship and how we approached life.”
“As the concept and the mission for an organization developed, I was blessed with the help from a dear friend of ours, Colin Waszkiewicz. He helped to set up the foundation and connect me with people who could make it happen. He is now serving as treasurer of C the Light Foundation.”
Since the founding of C the Light Foundation, in the spring of 2023, the organization has made a positive impact on the Governor Mifflin community by raising funds to support worthwhile projects for students. “We have two big fundraisers each year,” explains Lauren.“ The first is Light Up the Court, a youth basketball tournament for grades 3-6, and the Kyle Conrad Memorial Basketball game, which has been very successful. We also host the Conrad Classic golf outing at Manor Golf Course in June of each year.”
The proceeds from the first year’s events have gone toward fully funding a new and upgraded film studio for digital arts and journalism classes, allowing students the opportunity to use the latest technology for classes and clubs as well as the morning announcements, giving them the chance to use their voices to provide meaningful connections.
Last year the foundation provided the funding to build the C Shed..a sports equipment exchange for the Governor Mifflin community. “Since the start of the foundation, we realized that costs for participating in sports have been increasing for families. We wanted as many kids as possible to be able to participate in sports programs and began a collection of second-hand or new sports equipment to fill this need. The C Shed was built in November of 2024 next to the Intermediate School and now serves as the collection and distribution site for the sports equipment. It is great for the community to be able to share resources and eliminate excess waste, while feeling a connection to young kids who are getting involved in sports.”
C the Light hopes to broaden its reach, with ideas in the works for funding inspirational speakers for high school and middle school assemblies every year, providing financial assistance for kids who need help with activity fees or special event/program fees for students who would otherwise have to sit out if they can’t afford it. “We want every deserving kid to have the opportunity to gain valuable experiences that can help connect them to their passions and set them up for success in life.”
To learn more about C the Light Foundation visit them at: cthelightfoundation.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
