Different from celebrity charity golf tournaments, Broncos long snapper Lonie Paxton welcomed a new challenge to Denver on Tuesday.
Paxton hosted the Inaugural Lonie Paxton Celebrity Sporting Clays Challenge at the Kiowa Creek Sporting Club in Bennett. The cause benefited the Active Force Foundation’s mission to provide opportunities for physically challenged individuals to engage in a healthy lifestyle.
“Everyone does a golf tournament, so we were just trying to find something unique,” Paxton said before the clay pigeon shooting event. “It’s a chance to do something different, have fun, and support a good cause all at the same time.”
Paxton followed through on an inspiration to help his friend Brook Duquesnel, who suffered a serious snowboarding injury at Mammoth Mountain two weeks after his 21st birthday in June 1998. Paxton attended Sacramento State at the time, driving two hours to see his best friend at the hospital. Paxton encouraged Duquesnel to take a positive approach moving forward. Duquesnel was motivated to remain active, but discouraged by the available means for paraplegics, taking matters into his own hands.
“There were only a couple of these four-wheel bikes, but the equipment was outdated and lacking,” Duquesnel said. “I spoke with an engineer and came up with the idea of designing a four-wheel bike. I approached Lonie and told him the idea of starting a non-profit organization.”
During Paxton’s childhood years in Centennial, Calif., he witnessed his parents caring for foster and adopted kids, and exchange students. His dad, a construction worker, and mother, a manicurist, found time to provide turkey dinners during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Three years into the NFL, Paxton found his own way to give back through co-founding the Active Force Foundation with Duquesnel in 2003.
“If they found a way to do it, I figured the NFL is such a great vehicle if you want to get involved like that,” Paxton said. “And it just so happened that a tragic accident happened to a close friend of mine.”
Over the last seven years, the foundation has raised more than $400,000 toward the engineering and manufacturing of downhill four-wheel mountain bikes for the handicapped. The bikes were showcased at the Kiowa Creek Sporting Club and Duquesnel and bike assistant engineer Brandon Duquesnel also were on hand to provide information about the specialized bike.
Paxton played eight years in New England, where he is most remembered for his snow angel end zone celebration after Adam Vinatieri’s overtime field goal advanced the Patriots to the 2001 AFC championship game.
Paxton modeled September’s sporting clays event after an event promoted by former Patriot teammate Matt Light. Participants had a chance to compete alongside Paxton and seven of his Broncos teammates. Members of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Carson were invited to enjoy the event and be recognized for their service.
“It’s a chance to do something different,” Paxton said. “If you’ve never done it before, this is a good chance to come out and learn how to do it right and how to use a gun properly and learn the safety issues that go along with a sport like this.”
AFF broke ground in Colorado on April 22 when Paxton held a 2010 NFL Draft Party and Bowling Bash. Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn attended the event.
“Lonie coming to Denver is a dream come true,” Duquesnel said. “With the mountain terrain, we can get out here and be hands on. You couldn’t integrate football and mountain bikes in New England, but now you can.”
