BrianneSchwantes.com
Life is always easier when you choose to be happy
Brianne the Volunteer
Even though life may appear difficult for Brianne, it’s the only life she’s ever known – and it has enabled her to better recognize and understand the obstacles faced by others. But Brianne is not one to sit on the sidelines – instead, she has consistently chosen to get involved and be an active participant in improving the lives of others.
Examples:
- At age 8, Brianne was asked to testify before the United States Congress for additional funding for the National Institutes of Health. Was asked back for 6 consecutive years.
- At age 12, Brianne started a newsletter called “Little Bones” for children suffering from rare diseases. She wrote, edited, and published it on a quarterly basis and it reached over 5,000 subscribers worldwide.
- At age 13, Brianne volunteered as a relief worker in the Des Moines, IA floods. Along with her family, she worked with the Red Cross to maintain a volunteer center and distribute food and supplies.
- At age 15, Brianne worked with the Franciscan Missionaries on a fundraiser which raised over $25,000 for South African orphans.
- At age 18, Brianne spent a summer as a counselor at Camp AmeriKids which is a summercamp for children suffering from HIV and other life-threatening diseases.
- Throughout college, Brianne volunteered with the Heart of America foundation and spoke to over 5,000 high school and middle school students about the importance of community service and volunteerism.
- Brianne co-founded and managed the first women’s ice hockey team at American University, The AU Lady Eagles.
- At age 23, Brianne was named the Wisconsin Cherry Blossom Princess. As part of the Princess-week program, Brianne organized a community service event for the Princesses to donate books and read to local school children.
- After college, Brianne organized a county-wide book drive in South Milwaukee, WI which collected books for children in impoverished rural schools.
- Brianne volunteers in the communications office of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee and writes for their four publications.
- Brianne, who is a member of the Junior League of Milwaukee, organized a blood drive for the Junior League new member class. They recruited 66 blood donors and 23 people signed up for the bone marrow registry.