"The year was 1999, and Packers Quarterback Brett Favre was opening a restaurant bearing his name not far from Lambeau Field. Favre would be there for an event to kick off the opening. His name was certainly a draw for many guests that night in March.
The big event that night was not just the opening of the restaurant, but a fundraiser for a local scholarship fund. Little did I realize at the time that Favre would be the one ultimately to introduce me to the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation.
At the time I was anchoring the news at WGBA-TV and went by in between broadcasts to cover the event. My visit was short, but what I remember clearly is Favre making an appearance and playing drums with a band front and center in the crowded room.
Other than running into Favre in the back hallway of the restaurant it was not unlike numerous other events I've covered. Keep in mind at the time he was already a Super Bowl winning, MVP, NFL quarterback. And even though I had, at that point, interviewed Favre on at least three other occasions over the years for sports related stories, it was still a thrill.
Fast forward three years when I met with Doug LaViolette. I was impressed with how far the foundation had come in a relatively short period of time. I told Doug I'd be thrilled to help.
It started with The Business News articles, then working on foundation brochures, newsletters, correspondence to potential supporters. We shared a lot of ideas.
The foundation's work gave me the opportunity to be on the forefront of news making events. While in my current job at WLUK-TV, I traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to interview Medal of Honor recipient Sal Guinta and the awarding of the inaugural Sal Guinta Scholarship of Honor through the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation. There was a trip to Long Beach, California to celebrate the USS Green Bay being put into service. And we traveled to Pilsen, Czech Republic in 2013 for the city's annual Liberation Festival celebrating American World War II veterans and their role in granting them freedom. The Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation presents a scholarship award during the festival, sponsored by friends of the foundation and by the grandson of General George S. Patton.
Brian's foundation, under Doug's leadership, the watchful eye of his wife Renee, and managed day-to-day by Brian's sister Kim for over two and a half decades, continues to find new connections to people and places. It continues to change lives and encourage people to make their world a better place. It's why the foundation's motto-"The Journey is the Reward" is so fitting. The saying was one Brian had in his room.
When Doug LaViolette asked me to be a part of the Foundation, I had no idea where the journey would take me. I wasn't looking to get anything out of it, I was more focused on how I could help. And that as I discovered has truly made the journey, the reward.
And to think, it all started with Brett Favre.
