Moved by a moment thousands of miles from home....a note from Doug LaViolette

Three weeks ago I had the privilege to spend time in Normandy, France and witness one of the most moving moments of my life. 

It was my first visit to one of the most hallowed places on earth. What I will remember most, is one of last things I saw. 

Leaving the Normandy Beach Memorial Museum, 
I discovered a single display that needs no words to describe 
the loss and love of one country to another.


I snapped this photo as a young French student was sharing this moment with a friend.

I will always wonder what she was ''saying'' as she emailed the picture she had just taken.  There is no doubt in my mind, it was profound and moving.

You see, I've learned that in these far away lands, they not only appreciate their freedom....


they remember why they are free and are teaching their children who gave them that freedom.  




Community and Business Come Together to Honor Local Hero and Raise Funds for a Scholarship in his Name

The Grand Opening of Texas Roadhouse in Littleton, Colorado was dedicated in Honor of Navy SEAL Danny Dietz.  

It was also a fundraiser for the Danny Dietz Scholarship of Honor endowment. The night raised $6878.93, which brought the endowment to a point that $1,250 can be awarded annually--forever--in Danny’s name!
David Carter created this beautiful mural which hangs on the wall of Texas Roadhouse
The Danny Dietz Scholarship of Honor was established 6 years ago at Heritage High School.  Danny was a 1999 graduate there and joined the Navy three months later.  While in high school, he played football his senior year and was active in weight training and swimming.  Danny had two weeks left of service in Afghanistan when he was killed on June 28, 2005.  

The Scholarship of Honor Program through Brian's Foundation recognizes a graduating high school senior with plans to enlist in the military or pursue a career in public safety or community service. These noble fields include fire safety, police science, teaching, nursing, EMT, ministry and more.  

The mission of the Scholarship of Honor  
'To honor, to remember, those who serve while recognizing dedication, community service and selflessness in those who follow in their footsteps"



Changing the World

"This is such a tremendous honor for me to be able to come back and say I'm giving back to the community that helped raise me," said Sal Guinta at John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on May 1st.
Medal of Honor recipient, Sal Giunta presented the first annual Sal Giunta Scholarship of Honor at his alma mater.  This scholarship is special, because it honors the two soldiers he tried to save, Sgt. Joshua Brennan and Spc. Hugo Medndoza. 



Abi Gray is this years recipient  She has applied to the United States Air Force Academy and plans on studying Areospace Engineering. In Abi's words, "I want to help my community and country as much as I am able so that I can give others the same feeling of gratuity to this country that I experience every day."



When asked about the Scholarship of Honor, Sal replied, ""I'm so proud of that. I think anytime you have people trying to help people it's a good thing and I want to do a good thing. People helping people is positive," said Guinta.


“I can't even dream this stuff up. It's just wild how not part of my plan this was, and how great of a new plan this has created for me,"

Please take a few minutes to view this wonderful news story on our first annual Sal Giunta Scholarship of Honor at JFK High School in Cedar Rapids, IA as well as the growth of Brian's Foundation

Our first Scholarship recipient of the year!

Adam Tisch of Pulaski High School (pictured 2nd from the left) received our Junior Achievement Scholarship during this year’s Business Challenge. His team, Double A Inc. with Adam Stczynski earned 2nd place and they will compete later this month at the Wisconsin JA Statewide Business Challenge Championship.

They are pictured with their mentors, Lonni Hampton and Jim Olson of Schenck SC.

Inspiring Lives One Scholarship at a Time

Are any of these scholarships in your area?  Please see the presentation dates and locations below..

Junior Achievement-Awarded during Business Challenge on February 18th

Victoria Parmentier Scholarship: Ashwaubenon High School, WI--May 16th at 6:30

Brian LaViolette Scholarship: Partners in Education Youth Celebration, WI--May 22nd at 7:00pm

Ken Kubsch Scholarship: Manitowoc High School,WI-- May 23rd 7:00pm

Ollie Bogsted Scholarship: Suring High School, WI-- May 26

“The Journey is the Reward” Scholarship: Suring High School, WI--May 26

Above and Beyond Scholarship: Oconto High School, WI-- May 30 7:30pm

Esther Cleveland Safford Scholarship: Oconto High School, WI-- May 30 7:30pm

Robert Safford Scholarship: Oconto High School, WI-- May 30 7:30pm

“The Journey is the Reward” Scholarship: Oconto High School, WI--May 30 7:30pm

South Africa Scholarship: LEAP School Science and Math, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa--Summer of 2012

NWTC: for Oconto and Suring High School, WI-- Fall 2012

Poland Scholarships (5): Nidzica Foundation Award Ceremony, Nidzica Poland--Fall 2012

St. Norbert Scholarships (4): DePere, WI --October 2012

2012 Scholarship of Honor Presentation Dates

Almost all of the Scholarship of Honor presentation dates have been set!  Please see if there is one in your area:

Joel Gentz: Purdue University, IN--April 20

Sal Giunta: JFK High School, Cedar Rapid, IA—May 1, 6:30 pm

General George S. Patton: Pilsen Czech Republic,-- May 5

Matt Atkinson Community SOH: Green Bay East, WI—May 14, 7:00pm

Danny Dietz: Heritage High School, Littleton CO--May 14, 6:30pm

Joe Welke: Rapid City Stevens High School, SD-- May 14, 7:00pm

James Cathey: Reno High School, NV-- May 16, 7:00pm

Ron Sager: Fox Valley Lutheran High School, WI--May 16, 9:00am

John Bradley: Appleton West High School, WI-- May 16, 6:30pm

Isaiah Hunt: Bayport High School, WI-- May 18, 9:00am

Andrew Brownfield: North High School Akron, OH –May 18, 8:30am

Robert Foley: United States Military Academy, West Point NY-- May 22, 2:30pm

Len Keller: Auburn High School, Rockford IL--May 22nd

Ryan Jerabek: Pulaski High School auditorium, WI-- May 23, 8:30am

Ben Edinger: Green Bay West High School, WI-- May 23, 6:00pm

Brent Vroman: Omro High School, WI May 23, 6:00pm

Kyle Hemauer: Chilton High School, WI-- May 23, 7:00pm

Ken Hess: Reynolds High School, Asheville NC--May 25 7:00pm

Jesse Thiry: Luxemburg-Casco High School, WI-- May 25, 9:00am

Ken Stumpf, Elmer Burr: Menasha High School, WI—May 29, 9:30am

Nichole Frye: Lena High School, WI-- May 30, 7:30pm

Eric McColley: Gettysburg High School, PA-- May 30, 7:00pm

Mike Colalillo: Denfeld High School, MN—May 31, 7:00pm

Tom Hudner: EAA-Airventure, Oshkosh, WI-- July 24, 6:00pm

Nainoa Hoe: 1Lt Nainoa K. Hoe Battle Command Training Center, Schofield Barracks, HI August 28

The Coveted Green Jacket!

Every signature represents a chapter in Masters history.  Each champion of the greatest golf tournament played today has been awarded their own coveted Green Jacket.   30 of them have signed this one.


You now have an opportunity to own this piece of history, and at the same time help deserving students fulfill their dreams of a higher education. 

For more details on how you can help continue the dream and at the same time own this piece of American history, please contact Doug LaViolette at 920-655-4098. 

Medal of Honor Recipient shares selfless passion at JFK High School

It had been over 40 years since a living Medal of Honor recipient was awarded our nation's highest military honor. SSG Sal Giunta was the first living recipient of the 911 Generation to earn the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 25, 2007.


We are proud to announce the first annual Sal Giunta Scholarship of Honor will be awarded in May. It will be our first scholarship established in Iowa.


The Sal Giunta Scholarship of Honor will be awarded annually at his alma mater, John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The scholarship will honor the soldiers he tried to save, Sgt. Josh Brennan and Spc. Hugo Mendoza. It will continue Sal's legacy and allow Sgt. Brennan and Spc. Mendoza's spirit to live on.


"I think helping people is a noble and honorable thing and I want to be as much a part of it as I can," said Giunta on the Scholarship of Honor being established at JFK High.


Staff Sgt. Giunta is a genuine American hero who was humbled about accepting the Medal of Honor from President Obama in 2010. He is committed to saluting the two fallen warriors who died that day.

Sgt Joshua Brennen graduated high school in 2003 in Ontario. He spent his summers living with his father in McFarland, WI.
  
This was his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Sgt. Brennan was awarded the Bronze Star for valor during his first tour of duty. He also received a Purple Heart after being shot in the leg in August 2007. 
  
SSG Giunta was tight with Sgt. Brennan; they trained together and traveled around Italy, where they were based... "He was athletic, smart, funny, always someone you could count on."


Spc. Hugo Mendoza was an avid churchgoer who dreamed of becoming a firefighter, He graduated from Trevor Browne High School in 1997 and enlisted as an Army Medic in 2005. 

With a big smile and instinctive tendency toward helping those in need, he deployed to Europe and then to the Middle East with his unit, he would make sure to call his mom in Detroit whenever he could.

SSG Giunta comments, "He truly cared about other people more than he did about himself." And, as a bonus: "He knew the best jokes."

We welcome back Allan Jamir to Brian's Board of Advisors!

Allan Jamir (‘Jammer’) was one of the original board members of Brian’s Foundation back in 1992.  We welcome him back to our Board of Advisors!  Jammer retired last month from Camera Corner Connecting Point as the VP of Community Relations.  


He states,"Being on the board provides an amazing feeling of purpose. I never had the pleasure of meeting Brian in flesh yet I know his spirit is all around us in how we think and how we honor students and our military men and women defending our freedom, liberty and way of life. It is my honor to serve Brian as member of the board." 

Jammer is one of the most involved members of the Green Bay community that we know. He is a great ‘big brother’ to 10 year old Baylee and a board member through Big Brother Big Sisters.  Other organizations he works with include (but not limited to), Green Bay Chamber of Commerce, Heritage Hill Foundation, Scholarships Inc, St. Norbert President’s Advisory Council, UWGB MLK-Caesar Chavez Scholarship Advisory Council, Golden House and Junior Achievement.

He and his lovely wife Penny have 9 God Children and enjoys fly-fishing, ballroom dancing, golfing, traveling, cooking and helping to bring out the best in our community through community service. And that he does.

Update from our South African Scholarship recipient

Andisani Tsengiwe has received our South African Scholarship for the 4th year in a row. Sponsors, Paul and Gloria Zimmerman decided to award the recipient for 4 years of his or her school, to assure they continue their eduction. Andisani continues to change the lives of those around him through his schooling. We are very proud of him!
Andisani pictured here with John Gilmour,
Director of LEAP school of Science and Math in S. Africa

"I decided to become a teacher because I love working with people and seeing positive change happening to me and the people around me. I am currently studying at UNISA (University of South Africa). I am majoring in English, my mother tongue language (IsiXhosa) and psychology as my back up subject. I love to involve myself with sports, especially soccer. I love to engage with people around me, getting to know people in a real and honest way.” Andisani

Brian's Foundation teams up with MilSpec Tours!

We are excited to team up with MilSpec Tours for Veterans!  MilSpec Tours will graciously donate $100 to the General George S. Patton Scholarship of Honor fund on behalf of every member who participates in their Pilsen Liberation Festival tour.

Every year, the historic city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic gathers to celebrate the liberation of their city by General Patton's 3rd Army. People gather from around the world to enjoy the festivities and say 'thank you'.










As part of the Pilsen Liberation Festival, the first General George S Patton Scholarship of Honor will be ceremonially awarded by General Patton’s grandson George Patton Waters and WW II veteran Marion Kirkham in honor of his brother Virgil Kirkham, killed near Pilsen on April 30 1945, the last recorded American USAAF pilot killed in Europe during WWII.  You can find more details on the scholarship at General Patton Scholarship


Please consider joining MilSpec Tours on a one-of-a-kind tour! Download a copy of their brochure here: Pilsen/European Tour with MilSpecs

We can't thank them enough for partnering with Brian's Foundation! 

We welcome Fran Anderson, Brian's Aunt to our Board of Advisors!

Fran will serve in conjunction with her husband Ron, who is currently on the Board.

Fran is retired from a 30 year career serving in managerial and executive positions in residential and health care facilities.  She enjoys spending time with family, golfing and outdoor activities. Her and Ron have been involved with Brian's Foundation since the beginning and we are excited to have her on board!

20 Years-20 accomplishments

35 years ago today, Brian came into this world. 
20 years ago this year, we established the Brian LaViolette Foundation.

When we established Brian's Foundation, we had no idea what would become of it.  We had a vision of keeping our promise to him to accomplish great things in his name and memory, but we weren't sure how it would all go. 

Establishing a non-profit 501c3 foundation was something we had never done.  There were dozens of questions, but one stood out, 'would we continue with just one scholarship at Brian's High School or would we expand?' The only way to know was to try.  So we did.

20 years, 20 milestone accomplishments

It is hard to single out 20 accomplishments over our 20 years as a Foundation, but again, we will try.
  1. Building on the $21,000 we received at Brian's funeral, we successfully became a 501c3 Foundation, awarding our first Brian LaViolette Scholarship at DePere High School in 1993.
  2. Creating "The Journey is the Reward Collection"-a series of inspirational prints and Green Bay Packers Hats embroidered with the Packer's NFL emblem.
  3. Expanding from one scholarship to eight in 1997. 
  4. Partnering with Scholarships Inc. to award the Distinguished Student Awards in Brown and Door County, WI.  We presented 26 scholarships in 1999!
  5. That same year, on 9.9.99, we held our first Celebrity Autograph Auction, including a Mercedes Benz raffle.
  6. Publishing "The Journey is the Reward" book, co-authored by Karoyn Gazella.
  7. Having a successful "Journey to the Stars" event with Henry Winkler.. yes, the 'Fonz'.
  8. Creating the Scholarship of Honor Program in 2003 to honor our military heroes.
  9. Expanding worldwide to Poland, eventually awarding 7 annual scholarships there.
  10. Hiring the Foundation's first and only full-time employee in 2006, Brian's Sister, Kim.
  11. Spearheading the national 2007 Medal of Honor Convention in Green Bay, WI, involving the entire community and nation in 26 memorable events.
  12. Expanding 'headquarters' to another rent-free location in North Carolina.
  13. Establishing a scholarship in South Africa..
  14. Being granted a Public Charity Foundation designation.
  15. Trademarking "The Journey is the Reward".
  16. Having part of our website in the Czech language after the General George Patton Scholarship was established in Pilsen, Czech Republic.
  17. Honoring and remembering 30 others, in addition to Brian, with scholarships in their names.
  18. Celebrating 'What's Right with America' on 11.11.11 inspiring a worldwide audience and awarding the first Brian LaViolette Spirit Awards.
  19. 2012 marks the year that we will grow and award scholarships in 13 states and 3 foreign countries.
  20. This year also marks the year that we will present our 500th scholarship!

Mike Colaillo, WWII Medal of Honor Recipient passes away at 86

We are sadden by the loss of Minnesota's last living Medal of Honor Recipients, Mike Colalillo.  In 2005, Brian's Foundation established the Mike Colalillo Scholarship of Honor at Denfeld High School in Duluth, MN.
Mike Colalillo holding the Scholarship of Honor Medal in  2005

Mike graduated from Denfeld High School in 1944. One year later, while serving in World War II, Colalillo went above and beyond the call of duty leading his men on an attack against enemy forces in Germany. In the face of savage artillery, machinegun fire, and almost certain death, he was committed to protecting others on the battlefield, and our freedoms here at home. President Truman presented Colalillo the Medal of Honor on December 18, 1945.
Mike with Guy and Karen Smith, good friends of Mike's and sponsor of the
Mike Colalillo Scholarship of Honor at Denfeld High School

He was a wonderful, humble man who will be missed by his community and his country.

'What's Right with America" on 11.11.11

On 11.11.11, Brian's Foundation's event, "What's Right with America" reassured everyone in attendance that there is hope...there is good. Enjoy the following photos by Kim Klein.
Ben Fischl, 2008 Brian LaViolette Scholarship recipient came from Air Force Academy in Colorado to join us.


Mrs. Bradley, John Bradley's wife was the first to be escorted by Navy Chief Joel Stewart.  John Bradley will always be remembered for helping raise the flag on Iwo Jima, but his greatest accomplishment during WWII was saving the lives of combat Marines, for which he received the Navy Cross.
The LaViolette's with Green Bay Packers, Donald Driver. He was our first "Brian LaViolette Spirit Award" recipient for his work in our community and his foundation who help and inspire  the homeless.

USMC Sgt Alvin Dupree blessed the dinner and our evening

Tyler Hopkins, our first Scholarship of Honor Recipient in 2004.  He had returned from Afghanistan just weeks before and came from Louisiana. 

Brian LaViolette Spirit Award Recipient, George Patton Waters, General Patton's Grandson signs a portrait by Hollywood Artist Nicolosi, of his Grandfather

Nick Del Calzo, creator and photographer of the Medal of Honor Portraits of Valor.  He was another recipient of the Brian LaViolette Spirit Award for his work in Literature. 


Hollywood Artist, Nicolosi with his original works of art done just for the 11.11.11 auction

The powerful and talented Great American Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble


Our hard working volunteers at Check in and Registration

Zach Sites, 2007 Eric McColley Scholarship of Honor Recipient from Gettysburg, PA received the Brian LaViolette Spirit Award and spoke of how Brian's Foundation has helped him through the years.
We can't thank everyone who was involved to make 'What's Right with America' a night to remember!

Packers Donald Driver to Receive ‘Spirit Award’ on 11.11.11

We are proud to announce that the Green Bay Packers' Donald Driver (#80) will receive our first ever Brian LaViolette Spirit Award the night of 11.11.11!! Donald was chosen for his tireless work in helping the homeless, inspiring students and supporting community organizations and causes.


Donald Driver is one of those individuals who started with nothing and has worked hard to better not only his life but the lives of so many around him and we think he is the perfect choice for the Spirit Award.

Like all Packers fans worldwide, we are proud of Donald's great accomplishments on the field, but more importantly he was selected for the qualities he demonstrates off the field……his strength of character, perseverance, hard work, dedication, love of family and community spirit.

Other honorees have been selected in the fields of philanthropy, literature and community service and will be recognized during this historic evening.

If you'd like to be there to witness Donald Driver receiving the Brian LaViolette Spirit Award, please contact us at 920-655-4098 for ticket information.

The Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation is proud to have received the highest possible rating on Charity Navigator. 

This four-star rating designates Brian’s Foundation as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria.