Thanks to the Green Bay Press Gazette for covering our story...

AUGUST 18th--Doug LaViolette looks back 70 years at the carnage wrought by the Second World War and sees the good in humanity. “Look at the terrible things humanity has gone through and survived, and gone on to do good things in places where terrible things occurred,” he said. “I’m very optimistic and very moved.”

The Brian LaViolette Foundation was formed in the memory of Doug’s son, who drowned in August 1992 near Chambers Island. He was buried on Aug. 17, 1992. One of the more recent scholarship addition helps people in a Czech Republic city that still celebrates, and honors, the veterans who helped liberate it from the Germans in 1945.

 For the past two decades the foundation has been offering up scholarships to hundreds of area — and international — students. By the end of the year the foundation will have awarded 583 scholarships. “It’s not just the 583, it’s not just them that have been moved,” Doug Laviolette said about the impact of the scholarships from...continue reading article here: Two decades later, LaViolette scholarship program still touching lives and communities

Words from Brian himself

When Brian was in 8th grade, his class had the assignment of writing an autobiography. It has been fun for us to reference back to it over the years. 

  

  

Today marks the day Brian died 21 years ago.  In preparing to share something with you about Brian as a person, I went back to his own words.  

We hope you enjoy a few excerpts from his autobiography..

"Enough about me, let's talk about my dad.  His childhood reminds me of Tom Sawyer's.  He stole his neighbor's raspberries, threw pumpkins through city hall and wasn't a very good student.   You may be wondering why I chose to tribute him.  Well, he puts everything he's got into everything he does.  He had a paper route that still puts a spark in his eye.   Out of all these reason, the main reason I wrote a tribute to my dad is because I love him."        "My mom didn't let me have cap guns, so I used wooden spoons.  'Buffalo Bill" is what my parents used to call me.  I'd shoot down those imaginary buffalo so fast you couldn't even see it.  (I know it's sick humor)"      "Even though my room is my favorite place, I probably only spend about one-half hour of my waking hours in it. Where I spend most of my time is in the city where I live.  One thing I really like about the city is you can walk to some of your neighbor's houses and get some type of game going.  There is always something to do in the city."   "One thing I never get tired of is playing soccer.  I love soccer more than any other sport there is.  It was my first league sport and I'm glad it was.  I started in kindergarten and I'm still playing."      "Let me tell you about a person who was, and is, very special to me.  This person I owe my life to, and I'm not exaggerating one bit.  She brought me into this world.  She has taught me right from wrong and always finds a way to make me grin.   One thing that she has taught me that I will never forget is the value of trust.  That five letter word has helped me throughout my life.  Even more important than trust is a four letter word that will always be between us...love."   "It happened in kindergarten during the morning announcements.  Many of you may think this was no big deal but I was the first kindergartner picked that year.  I also beat out the whole school!  At first I didn't know who to react, it was as if a freight train had just hit me.  I was picked for Winner of the Week!"   "Being the oldest of the siblings in our family isn't too bad.  My sister and I don't fight, she does what I tell her but I don't boss her around a lot.  Our parents treat us generally the same too.  I just hope the rest of my life will be this nice."      "This autobiography has dusted off my shelf of memories, and that I am glad of.  I just hope you enjoyed reading this more than I did writing it."