New Board Member--Stan Clark, Gettysburg, PA

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." ~Flavia Weedn. That is the way we feel about Stan Clark.

Not only did he raise over $40,000 for the Eric McColley Scholarship of Honor Fund at Gettysburg High School, but he has one of the biggest hearts anyone can ask for. He is pictured here with Medal of Honor Recipient, Wes Fox in 2007 at the first Eric McColley Scholarship of Honor presentation.

Stan served in the 2nd and 3rd Marine Divisions, as well as recruiting station duty in the Harrisburg, PA area. He was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1976 after six years of active duty service.

Stan has lived in Gettysburg, PA with his wife Candi for the past 24 years. Stan worked in real estate and construction industries until 2003 and is currently involved in the antique and military book business. He is also a member of the the Gettysburg Battlefield Detachment of the Marine Corps League, Forty & Eight and is active in various Veterans activities and programs, in particular the Wounded Warriors and also a Board Member of the SGTMAC Foundation.

We are proud to welcome Julie Hoerth to our Board of Advisors

Our family has known Julie for 23 years, when her and Kim became friends in the first grade. She also knew Brian and has been involved with his Foundation from the beginning.

We can't count the number of times she helped us with copy editing, special events (some of you may recognize her as our 'right-hand' woman from the Medal of Honor Convention) or whenever we need her. She is definitely a person you can always count on!

Julie is a creative writer for Enzymatic Therapy, Inc.-the nation's leading dietary supplement company, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She also does freelance writing for area newspapers and other publications, and volunteers her time as a Wish Granter for the Make a Wish Foundation.

Julie enjoys any activity she can do outdoors, and loves spending time keeping her husband company in the kitchen - while he cooks. She is also an avid reader, and a huge fan of anything that makes her laugh out loud. Julie lives in DePere with her husband, Justin, who also loves a good laugh. They were married last August.

Brian’s Story featured in “A Second Wind”

In “A Second Wind”, Pastor Arni Jacobson and writer Robert Mims explore what happens when life’s greatest successes and spiritual victories are unexpectedly followed by stunning setbacks, doubt and depression. All these accounts are connected by the need for the spiritual equivalent of what all long-distance runners crave — the breath and grace to finish what remains ahead. That second wind is the blessing to rebound from victory-to-valley experiences to even greater triumphs in life.

The LaViolette family met Arni in 1992 shortly after his family had moved to Green Bay to start Bayside Christian Fellowship Church in Green Bay. Arni and his congregation became devoted supporters of his Foundation. He continues to support as he serves on Brian’s Foundation Board of Advisors.

Arni is a pastor, mentor, church planter, motivator, author, father, and grandfather. He has more than 30 successful years in ministry and has built dynamic churches in Merrill, Wisconsin; Salt Lake City, Utah; Salem, Oregon; and pioneered a church of more than 3,000 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Arni and his wife, Jan, have two children, and are very proud of their grandchildren.

For more information on Second Wind or how to obtain a copy please contact Arni at arni@citychurchlive.org

"By Remembering One, We Honor All"--John McColley

John and Susan McColley spearheaded the National Wreath Project with the help of Stan Clark of Gettysburg. The parents of Eric McColley who was killed in the War on Terror in February 2006 started placing wreaths on his grave around Thanksgiving of 2006.

Each time they visited the cemetery with a new wreath they would place the existing wreath on the grave of a neighboring Marine. They noticed that many of the other graves were not being decorated and from that day forward they decided to honor as many as they could. In 2006, they placed 515 wreaths.

This year, with the help of so many, they were able to put over 2700 wreaths total- 500 wreaths on grave sites at Gettysburg National Cemetery and over 2,100 at Quantico National Cemetery.

The Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation was so proud to financially support this noble and worthwhile cause. Foundation Board Member, Captain Tony Mitchell and his two young sons (above) helped with this effort.

The Eric McColley Scholarship of Honor was established in 2007 at Gettysburg High School and is awarded to a graduating student going into the military or a form of community or public service.

Happy 2nd Birthday Jimmy!

Katherine Cathey was 5 months pregnant when her husband James was killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq on August 21, 2005. On her son's first birthday, United States Marine Colonel Steve Beck presents Jimmy Cathey with the Scholarship of Honor medal in honor of
his Dad, USMC 2nd Lt. James Cathey.

The inscription to little Jimmy on the back of the medal reads: Your selfless service, heroic deeds and love for your Marines will never be forgotten. From this day forward, the manner by which you lived your life, with enthusiasm, with vigor, and with an energy rarely witnessed, will forever stand as an inspiration to those who take on the noble challenge of serving their fellow man. “Happy 1st Birthday Jimmy, your daddy is watching over you.” 22 December 2006

The James Cathey Scholarship of Honor was established at Reno High School and first presented in 2007. Thanks to the Remembering the Brave Foundation, this will be a perpetual tribute to James. Maybe one day James' son, will present this scholarship in honor of his Dad...what a great honor that would be!

Dad had the chance to meet Katherine at the Medal of Honor Patriot Dinner in Denver this past September where she was recognized as a Gold Star family.

Happy 2nd Birthday Jimmy, your daddy continues to watch over you.

Col. Steve Beck and Jimmy Photo by: Judy DeHaas, Rocky Mountain News
Katherine Cathey with Doug LaViolette