NEWS
May 2023
The Fifth Annual High School Senior Scholarship Awarded to Soon-to-Be Vanderbilt Freshman!
On May 25 the Foundation was present at the Highland Park High School Honors Day to award the fifth annual scholarship of $2,500. The Foundation is very proud of the recipient this year. He has overcoming adversity, been dedicated to community service and has strong academic achievement. Not surprisingly, he will go on to attend Vanderbilt University – Anchor Down! As an alum, Amy is very excited to support another Vandy student.
December 2022
The Foundation Again Supports the annual Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program.
Once you have experienced a holiday season as a patient or family member in a pediatric oncology hospital, you are forever changed. Rebecca started the practice of assisting pediatric cancer patients and their families during the holiday season and the Foundation has adopted that practice as a core focus. So, in keeping up with Rebecca’s desire to help pediatric cancer patients and their families over the holidays, the Foundation again sponsored very deserving families this holiday season through the Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program. Specifically, the Foundation sponsored several families by providing food, gifts, and other necessities. We are proud to continue this legacy started by Rebecca and hope that it provided some comfort and assistance to these families during such a difficult time.
Summer 2022
First Make-A-Wish Recipient Has Had to Delay her Wish
Unfortunately, the recipient of the first Make-A-Wish grant sponsored by the Foundation has had to postpone her trip. We look forward to reporting back when she is able to received her Wish and take her trip.
May 2022
The Foundation Awards the Fourth Annual Scholarship – With a Twin Twist!
The Foundation has exciting news about the Fourth Annual Rebecca Buchanan Brimmage Scholarship award at Highland Park High School. A few months ago, the Foundation Board voted to increase the scholarship amount from $1,000 to $2,500.
Also, this year, two applicants that stood out as fulfilling all three of the tenants of the scholarship – overcoming adversity, a dedication to community service and strong academic achievement. That’s right, this year the Foundation awarded two $2,500 scholarships to twin senior girls at Highland Park High School.
In addition to being a perfect fit for the scholarship, the girls have some incredible similarities to Rebecca and her family. For some background, the recipients’ very accomplished mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 – the same year Rebecca was diagnosed. She received treatment for and fought for 2 plus years and then passed away on Rebecca’s birthday – March 20, 2018. The two girls, the only kids of this mother, were 14 years old then – the same age as Trey (our Senior this year) when Rebecca passed. And despite all this, they both went on to be very academically accomplished and active in high school – much like Trey.
After careful consideration, the Foundation agreed it was perfectly fitting that both girls receive a Rebecca scholarship.
March 2022
Here Comes the First Make-A-Wish Grant in Rebecca’s Name
Receiving a Wish grant from Make-A-Wish provides a life-altering experience for pediatric cancer patients. In 2016, our family experienced firsthand the positive and life-changing benefits of a Wish trip. Thanks to the many generous and kind contributions from you and so many from all over, the Foundation has fully funded its Make-A-Wish endowment so that an annual Wish grant will now be provided to a pediatric cancer patient from the Dallas area.
We just celebrated Rebecca’s 23rd birthday on March 20. Perhaps in honor of that occasion, the Make-A-Wish organization has identified an amazing young woman to be the first recipient of a Wish from Rebecca’s Foundation’s endowment. The young girl's wish is scheduled for this Summer and it is only fitting that it has three amazing ties to Rebecca; i) like Rebecca, she is 17 years old and has been granted a trip for her Wish, ii) one of her Make-A-Wish Managers is the same Wish Manager who helped Rebecca, and iii) her other Wish Manager was the coordinator for Rebecca’s Make-A-Wish Ambassador work, including coordinating Rebecca's speaking appearances at fundraising events.
This first Wish (as well as those in the years to come and all the other activities of the Foundation) has been made possible by all of you who have transitioned from “Rallying For Rebecca” to “Rallying With Rebecca” to continue the many acts of kindness for pediatric cancer patients in need. When appropriate, we will share more details of this first Wish. For now, please know that on behalf of the Foundation the entire Brimmage Family thanks everyone for their support, encouragement, and continuing efforts to remember Rebecca and continue her legacy of giving.
December 2021
The fourth year the Foundation has proudly participated in the annual Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program.
Rebecca spent many holidays inpatient at Children’s Medical Center and knew first hand what difficulty many families with children in the hospital faced. In keeping up with her acknowledgment of these struggles and her desire to help these families, the Foundation sponsored two very deserving families this holiday. The Foundation was happy to provide assistance for food, gifts, and other necessities for the families of two pediatric patients who are suffering from relapsed leukemia. Like Rebecca, both patients have been battling their cancer for years and despite receiving world-class treatment, have continued to relapse and face unknown futures. We are hopeful that the Foundation’s assistance for these patients and their families made their holidays a little brighter and removed some stress and uncertainty from their full plates.
June 2021
The Foundation Fully Funds its Make-A-Wish Endowment Commitment
If Rebecca were able to follow through her admission to Georgetown University and actually attend, we have no doubt that she, like most of her friends, would have graduated this past May. As a result of the many very kind and generous contributions the Foundation has received from so many, the Foundation has fully funded its $150,000 commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation so that a Wish can be granted every year in Rebecca's name.
This is a huge milestone for the Foundation as we personally experienced the special and life-changing impact a Wish has on a pediatric cancer patient – even one who is 17 years old like Rebecca was when she received her Wish.
The Foundation looks forward to the identification of the first recipient of a Wish in Rebecca’s name.
Stay tuned!
May 2021
The Foundation Awards the Third Annual Scholarship – Go Bears!
The $1,000 Rebecca scholarship this year was awarded to a very impressive young lady and high school senior at Highland Park High School. She has a solid track record of community service while overcoming adversity and achieving strong academic success.
She never had the opportunity to meet Rebecca, but she did know Lizzy who she says had a positive impact on her. She will go on in the Fall to be a Baylor Bear. The Foundation is honored to recognize her with Rebecca’s scholarship and wish her all the best as a Baylor Bear.
December 2020
For the third time since Rebecca passed, the Foundation participate in the annual Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program
Families with sick children face daily battles that can make life very difficult. This is even more so when their children have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. In an attempt to help lighten the load for some of these families, the Foundation provided financial assistance this holiday season to two families with children battling cancer. The first family has a young daughter diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, the same cancer Rebecca faced and the other family has a young son battling leukemia. We hope that removing some financial strain from these families helped them enjoy their holiday season.
May 2020
The Foundation Awards the Second Annual Scholarship – A Commodore!
Despite Covid-19 canceling many of the end-of-school year activities at Highland Park High School, the Foundation was pleased to participate in the “virtual” Honors Day ceremony and award the second annual Rebecca Buchanan Brimmage Foundation scholarship of $1,000 to high school senior Devin Monk. Devin did not know Rebecca, but he clearly has lived his life in similar fashion – overcoming adversity, focusing on community service, and making incredible grades.
In a virtual ceremony, the Foundation presented a $1,000 scholarship to Devin Monk. Devin will attend Vanderbilt University starting in the fall. Devin will attend Vanderbilt in the Fall. We are excited about the future for Devin.
March 2022
Here Comes the First Make A Wish Grant in Rebecca’s Name
Receiving a Wish grant from Make-A-Wish provides a life-altering experience for pediatric cancer patients. In 2016, our family experienced firsthand the positive and life-changing benefits of a Wish trip. Thanks to the many generous and kind contributions from you and so many from all over, the Foundation has fully funded its Make-A-Wish endowment so that an annual Wish grant will now be provided to a pediatric cancer patient from the Dallas area.
We just celebrated Rebecca’s 23rd birthday on March 20. Perhaps in honor of that occasion, the Make-A-Wish organization has identified an amazing young woman to be the first recipient of a Wish from Rebecca’s Foundation’s endowment. The young girl's wish is scheduled for this Summer and it is only fitting that it has three amazing ties to Rebecca; i) like Rebecca, she is 17 years old and has been granted a trip for her Wish, ii) one of her Make-A-Wish Managers is the same Wish Manager who helped Rebecca, and iii) her other Wish Manager was the coordinator for Rebecca’s Make-A-Wish Ambassador work, including coordinating Rebecca's speaking appearances at fundraising events.
This first Wish (as well as those in the years to come and all the other activities of the Foundation) has been made possible by all of you who have transitioned from “Rallying For Rebecca” to “Rallying With Rebecca” to continue the many acts of kindness for pediatric cancer patients in need. When appropriate, we will share more details of this first Wish. For now, please know that on behalf of the Foundation the entire Brimmage Family thanks everyone for their support, encouragement, and continuing efforts to remember Rebecca and continue her legacy of giving.
December 2021
The fourth year the Foundation has proudly participated in the annual Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program.
Rebecca spent many holidays inpatient at Children’s Medical Center and knew first hand what difficulty many families with children in the hospital faced. In keeping up with her acknowledgment of these struggles and her desire to help these families, the Foundation sponsored two very deserving families this holiday. The Foundation was happy to provide assistance for food, gifts, and other necessities for the families of two pediatric patients who are suffering from relapsed leukemia. Like Rebecca, both patients have been battling their cancer for years and despite receiving world-class treatment, have continued to relapse and face unknown futures. We are hopeful that the Foundation’s assistance for these patients and their families made their holidays a little brighter and removed some stress and uncertainty from their full plates.
June 2021
The Foundation Fully Funds its Make-A-Wish Commitment
If Rebecca were able to follow through her admission to Georgetown University and actually attend, we have no doubt that she, like most of her friends, would have graduated this past May. As a result of the many very kind and generous contributions the Foundation has received from so many, the Foundation has fully funded its $150,000 commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation so that a Wish can be granted every year in Rebecca's name.
This is a huge milestone for the Foundation as we personally experienced the special and life-changing impact a Wish has on a pediatric cancer patient – even one who is 17 years old like Rebecca was when she received her Wish.
The Foundation looks forward to the identification of the first recipient of a Wish in Rebecca’s name.
Stay tuned!
May 2021
The Foundation Awards the Third Annual Scholarship – Go Bears!
The $1,000 Rebecca scholarship this year was awarded to a very impressive young lady and high school senior at Highland Park High School. She has a solid track record of community service while overcoming adversity and achieving strong academic success.
She never had the opportunity to meet Rebecca, but she did know Lizzy who she says had a positive impact on her. She will go on in the Fall to be a Baylor Bear. The Foundation is honored to recognize her with Rebecca’s scholarship and wish her all the best as a Baylor Bear.
December 2020
For the third time since Rebecca passed, the Foundation participate in the annual Children’s Medical Center Holiday Adopt-A-Family program
Families with sick children face daily battles that can make life very difficult. This is even more so when their children have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. In an attempt to help lighten the load for some of these families, the Foundation provided financial assistance this holiday season to two families with children battling cancer. The first family has a young daughter diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, the same cancer Rebecca faced and the other family has a young son battling leukemia. We hope that removing some financial strain from these families helped them enjoy their holiday season.
May 2020
The Foundation Awards the Second Annual Scholarship – A Commodore!
Despite Covid-19 canceling many of the end-of-school year activities at Highland Park High School, the Foundation was pleased to participate in the “virtual” Honors Day ceremony and award the second annual Rebecca Buchanan Brimmage Foundation scholarship of $1,000 to high school senior Devin Monk. Devin did not know Rebecca, but he clearly has lived his life in similar fashion – overcoming adversity, focusing on community service, and making incredible grades.
In a virtual ceremony, the Foundation presented a $1,000 scholarship to Devin Monk. Devin will attend Vanderbilt University starting in the fall. Devin will attend Vanderbilt in the Fall. We are excited about the future for Devin.
February 2020
Cookies! Cookies! Cookies! Girl Scout Troop 8271 sells cookies for Rebecca
Girl Scout Troop 8271, comprised of fourth graders from Armstrong Elementary and University Park Elementary, displayed tremendous entrepreneurship, grit and determination in selling thousands of boxes of Girl Scout cookies over a few short months. The girls went door-to-door, staffed dozens of cookie booths, and used on-line resources to sell case after case of delicious cookies. Rather than keeping all of their proceeds for their troop, they voted to donate a significant portion of their earnings to the Foundation. The girls eagerly learned about Rebecca, her legacy, and the Foundation and presented a check in the impressive amount of $1,000 to the Foundation. The Foundation is so grateful to these hardworking and generous Girl Scouts and their tireless leaders Sandy Maltese and Gail French. All funds raised were earmarked to fulfill the Foundation’s commitment to Make-A-Wish.
December 2019
The Foundation brings Christmas cheer to cancer patients at Children’s Medical Center
The Foundation is happy to make Christmas 2019 a little brighter for a few children battling cancer at Children’s Medical Center. For the second year in a row, the Foundation participated in Children’s Medical Center’s Adopt-A-Family program and purchased food, clothing, and toys for children battling cancer and their families. One of the children is a young girl battling Ewing sarcoma - like Rebecca. Having a child with cancer puts a tremendous strain on a family’s finances, and the Foundation is happy to take some of the worry off of some very deserving children and their families.
November 26, 2019
University Park Elementary Turkey Trots with Rebecca
What is November without a Turkey Trot? University Park Elementary dedicated its Fourth Annual Turkey Trot to raise funds for the Foundation. Through the tireless efforts of University Park Elementary teachers, staff and families, an unprecedented $25,600 was raised for the Foundation. All funds raised are earmarked to fulfill the Foundation’s commitment to Make-A-Wish. This tremendous success would not have been possible without the remarkable and dedicated leadership of Jackie Pittman, Kacy Ellis and Tammy Hyde who set up the “Turkey Trot” donation page on this website and then solicited sponsors and sold t-shirts and baseball hats to maximize the money raised for the Foundation. Before trotting, the students were treated to a slideshow about the Foundation and a special presentation by Elizabeth Brimmage about the importance of volunteerism and giving back to the community. The students then enjoyed a beautiful fall afternoon running through the course in Curtis Park. All four Brimmage children attended University Park Elementary (Cat is a current Fourth grader) and the Foundation is so thankful for the strong sense of community and volunteerism University Park Elementary instills in all students.
July 2019
The Foundation Commits to Endow an Annual Make-A-Wish Grant
When Rebecca’s maternal grandfather passed away in 2013, Rebecca’s grandmother donated his prized Jaguar sedan to Make-A-Wish in the hopes it would help fund a wish for a deserving child. Little did she know that a little over three years later, Rebecca would receive her own wish!. After Rebecca had completed her initial treatment protocol in 2016, Make-A-Wish fulfilled Rebecca’s dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise with her whole family. Make-A-Wish allowed her to dream big and make memories that she cherished the rest of her life. Rebecca spoke often of how that wish made her feel and the memories it created, inspiring her to speak at area fundraisers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It seems only fitting that the Foundation charged with continuing Rebecca’s legacy do its part to ensure that other pediatric cancer patients get the same wish opportunity Rebecca received – to have a special Wish at a challenging time in a young person’s life. Today, the Foundation entered into an agreement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to endow a fund to support an annual Make-A-Wish grant to a pediatric cancer patient in the Dallas area. With the initial pledge of $40,000, the Foundation is well on its way to completing its obligation to fund $150,000 over the next five years.
A special thanks to all the incredibly kind and generous donations that made this Make-A-Wish commitment possible. We appreciate it and know that we will be able to make the annual Make-A-Wish grant in Rebecca’s name a reality.
May 2019
The Foundation Awards the First Annual Rebecca Buchanan Brimmage Foundation Scholarship
Today, the Foundation awarded its first annual Scholarship to a high school Senior who overcame adversity, demonstrated a commitment to community service, and excelled academically. The scholarship was announced by Elizabeth Brimmage - Senior Class Treasurer and Treasurer of the Foundation, and Marty Brimmage, President of the Foundation, presented the Scholarship to McKenzie Hansen, a graduating senior at HPHS. McKenzie not only met all three of the above Scholarship requirements, but he also had a class with Rebecca when he was a Sophomore and she was a Senior. In his application for the Scholarship, McKenzie wrote about the following interaction he had with Rebecca:
“I was extremely blessed to be able to interact and be inspired by Rebecca. My sophomore year, I was lucky enough to have a class with her. I sat right next to her in Problems and Solutions (Ms. Mallard's Class) and her great smile made my day better each and every day. Her positive outlook on life and energy was infectious and I never saw her have a bad day. One moment I will never forget in my life was a speech Rebecca gave in my class about adversity and understanding others. After her speech Ms. Mallard asked her a question, "How do you feel when other classmates complain about their simple problems when you experience a ton of adversity every day?" Rebecca's response was of something you see in a movie. She basically said that everyone has their own stuff and issues that mean a lot to them. For some people, staying up late is really tough, for others it’s the loss of a loved one or even just failing a test. She went on to say that it is extremely important to be understanding of the fact that everyone experiences their own problems and we must be understanding to everyone. She said that while her issues are sometimes difficult to deal with and look a lot bigger than other people's issues, they have the same general effect. For some people their life is so great that the littlest thing can feel monumental and she said we must be understanding of it. That speech and response she gave was something that will resonate with me forever. She was such a blessing to this community and will have a long lasting effect on my life and many others.”
It is truly an honor that the first scholarship recipient had personal interaction with Rebecca and can testify to her positive impact on others. Please join the Foundation in congratulating McKenzie.
A special thanks to all the donors that made the Scholarship possible. We appreciate it and hope to grow the Scholarship over time.
May 2019
Enter To Learn. Go Forth To Serve. Highland Park High School Student Council Rallies With Rebecca
The Student Council at Highland Park High School pays it forward by hosting a Parent Night Out fundraiser to raise funds for the Foundation. Highland Park High School students selflessly volunteered their time to staff a parent night out for elementary students in the Park Cities community. Dozens of local children were entertained by the Highland Park High School students and parents received a much deserved break knowing that their children were in good hands. Through tireless efforts to solicit sponsors and donations, the Highland Park High School Student Council raised an astounding $16,750.00 for the Foundation. The Foundation very much appreciates the hard work of the Highland Park Student Council and was pleased to accept the check at a school-wide pep rally. All funds raised are earmarked to fulfill the Foundation’s commitment to Make-A-Wish. The Foundation is very proud of these hardworking students who live the Highland Park High School moto “Enter To Learn. Go Forth To Serve.”
