Celebrating 30 years of Brian’s legacy with the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation
By Kim LaViolette Mosteller
When I was 12 years old, I lost my big brother, Brian, in a swimming accident. As you can imagine, our life was instantly turned upside down. But from that day forward, somehow, our grief drove us to create the Brian LaViolette Foundation.
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Brian LaViolette Foundation, it seems like a perfect time to reflect on how the foundation honors Brian — and is so much bigger than he is.
With the contributions from so many generous people, the foundation has provided 1,003 scholarships (56 scholarships annually) and touches the lives of students and communities in 17 states and three countries. But we know the ripple effect of Brian’s foundation goes far beyond that, as it honors not only Brian’s memory, but dozens of others for whom additional scholarships are named.
I know firsthand about the ripple effect as not only the executive director of the foundation for the past 15 years, but as Brian’s little sister … his “sib,” as he called me. I can say, looking back, that he was a great brother, teammate, classmate and friend. He was a very welcoming person to everyone, nonjudgmental and someone his best friend said “wasn’t afraid to have deep conversations.” We were close growing up, and I sense that connection started the moment I was born when he took his “big brother” status seriously.
After Brian died, we found a handwritten note next to his bed stating “The Journey is the Reward.” It became the inspiration and motto of the foundation. It turns out, it is a powerful and significant motivation as we continue to hear its impact from the foundation’s scholarship recipients along their respective journeys.
Many recipients are at different stages in their lives now, and yet they think about the scholarship and the impact on their lives, often through a different lens that comes with the perspective of living and experience. It’s that impact, as well as the impact on the families and communities we serve, of which we are most proud. As one recipient said, receiving a scholarship is not a one-time thing; it’s a lifelong journey.
As we embark on the next 30 years, we are introducing an exciting campaign: an endowment campaign to raise funds not for a brick-and-mortar building but to perpetuate what’s at the root of Brian’s spirit.
A key element in creating an endowment to sustain the foundation and its impact for generations to come is the Watch Project. For more details on how you can be involved, we encourage you to explore our website briansjourney.com.
2260 Sunny Lane • Green Bay, WI 54313 • 828-242-3790 • briansjourney.com
