2021: A New Year - Robert J Brau Family Foundation

       The Robert J Brau Family Foundation was founded in 2017 to strive to change society's attitudes and behaviors with regard to distracted driving and to assist the families and children in our area in ways that honor Robert.

    One of our main events at the Robert J Brau Family Foundation is the Annual Ride for Robert, an event that encourages everyone to take a walk, hike, swim, bicycle/motorcycle/boat or car ride in Robert's memory. If it hadn't been for a distracted driver, Robert would still be living his dreams. He was killed instantly when a young woman crashed her car directly into him as he traveled towards home on his motorcycle and one of the Foundation's pledges is to make people more aware of how dangerous it is to drive while trying to do things that disrupt driving focus. We were active in promoting the new Minnesota "Hands Free" laws and are continuing to encourage the alignment of  distracted driving penalties with DUI crashes, especially in cases that result in death.

Robert J Brau Scholarship

Honors a Willmar Senior High School Student

Every spring a scholarship is awarded to a Willmar Senior High School music student who most reminds us of Robert and his musical gifts. Robert loved to be busy and he loved spending time with friends and family, especially when that time included anything musical - listening, playing or recording. His musical pursuits included piano, cello, trumpet, French horn, acoustic and electric guitar and bass, and he had a beautiful bass singing voice. He was a 2011 High Honors Graduate of Willmar Senior High School and while there participated in every musical group available to him, including all of the band and choir ensembles and small groups, the orchestra, musical pit orchestras, and Pep and Jazz bands.

As of 2020, seven $1000 scholarships have been awarded.

Robert J Brau Memorial Scholarship

Honors a University of Minnesota Music Student

After high school graduation, Robert was accepted at the University of Minnesota and began studies in science and music. He was exuberant and honored to be selected as a member of the University of Minnesota Marching Band in 2011 and became part of the leadership team for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He often referred to the Marching Band as his “Away from Home Family”.  As a college sophomore, he decided to focus on his passion which was music and he was accepted into the University’s School of Music and officially declared his major in Classical Guitar Performance. His plan was to earn his PhD, to become a college professor and to both teach and perform on guitar. His dreams had really just begun.

As of 2020, eight $1000 scholarships have been awarded.

The Robert J Brau Family Foundation's mission embraces the importance of "Empowering children and families in ways that remind of us all of Robert, whose life left us richer, but whose death at the hands of a distracted driver motivates us to act."

Please help us today in making a better tomorrow.