29 years ago this week at his funeral, Brian’s family made a promise to accomplish great things in his memory. Now, the foundation created in his name, is embarking on its greatest fundraising mission yet, centered around time.
“It’s been said that the foundation has a ripple effect and so we do what we can to make the world a better place and each life that has been changed through the foundation goes on to make a difference. We’ve been really fortunate to witness that the last 29 years,” adds Kim LaViolette Mosteller, Brian’s sister, and Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation Executive Director.
As foundation eyes its 30th anniversary, the passage of time is not lost on the LaViolette family. “Our runway is running short, or shorter, and as you reflect on time, time has always been something we held dear in our family, in our life,” says LaViolette.
Brian age 4 looking at his first watch, a Green Bay Packers watch.
In seeking to grow an endowment that can fund scholarships for the next 30 years, LaViolette came up with an idea after hearing about Paul Newman’s famous Daytona watch selling for $17 million.
“Brian himself loved watches, he was really passionate about watches, he started wearing his first watch when he was just four years old, and it was a Green Bay Packers watch, Swiss made,” explains LaViolette.
In his short life, Brian collected seven watches, and now, the foundation is on a mission to collect some famous ones for its “Watch Project.”
“We’re looking to gather watches from people who have helped shape this country and the world and eventually auction those watches off. Right now, according to what I’ve been able to research, there’s over four billion watches in the world and we’re only looking for 22,” says LaViolette.
The foundation is off to a great start, with watches from Jerry Lewis, Priscilla Presley, Medal of Honor recipient Sal Giunta, and Brian’s childhood idol, Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud, already in safe keeping at Nicolet National Bank.
LaViolette’s watch wish list aims high, but he has some great connections to acquire ones from past foundation supporters like Jay Leno and Brett Favre, as well as watches from Mario Andretti, George W. Bush, and even the Pope.
“People who help shape the world, they don’t necessarily have to have really expensive watches, and Pope Francis wears this Casio,” says LaViolette.
Just like a teenage boy from Green Bay did almost 30 years ago.
“Every single day I proudly wear Brian’s Casio watch,” says LaViolette with a smile. You can learn more through the WBAY-TV2 story here.
The Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation will roll out its collection of watches to be auctioned on February 22, 2022.
