Philanthropist's turn to receive in Lakewood Ranch

It might not have struck her until later, but Diane Brune, then Diane Blecha, was learning some important lessons when she volunteered as a life guard in her hometown of Machias, N.Y.

Her dad, Thomas Blecha, was a local philanthropist, building his town a park, ball fields and a pool.

Diane was getting a subtle course in giving back to the community.

"I saw those kids learn how to swim, to have opportunities they wouldn't have had," she said.

Her dad kept giving back to the community even after he retired and right up until his death. He never stopped.

Now Diane Brune is walking in his shoes.

When members of the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund's six Giving Circles meet on Feb. 13 in their annual Galentine's event, Brune will be honored with the 2018 John Clarke Humanitarian Award.

"It's huge for me," said Brune, a past Community Fund president and board member who has been active with the Community Foundation for 11 years and was a driving force behind the Giving Circles being formed. "My dad would be proud."

Former Community Fund board member Julienne Smith said Brune's crowning achievement was establishing the "Founders 50," a group of major donors. The fund now has 44 members. 

Brune, who noted that board member Nick Drizos spearheaded "Founders 50" with her,  said she long has admired the work done by John Clarke to "get this community started."

"To have my name on his plaque means the world to me," she said.

It means a lot to others as well.

"They say philanthropists all have a heart to give generously and the commitment to follow through," said 2017 John Clarke Humanitarian Award winner Angela Massaro-Fain. "No one is more recognizable of that description than Diane."

Manatee County Commissioner and 2016 Humanitarian Award winner Vanessa Baugh added, "Diane has been the face of charitable love in this community with her husband Greg. I have been blessed to call her friend and neighbor."

Smith said Diane and Greg Brune spend many days driving and collecting food, clothing and other donations for Bradenton's Stillpoint House of Prayer. Smith said you can often finding Diane working the food line.

Although she has gone through her cycle as a Community Foundation board member, Brune remains active, giving her support in whatever ways she can.

Much of her support comes through leadership, which has been a passion for Brune throughout her life. Her first job after she earned her master's degree at St. Bonaventure was teaching leadership skills for the Ridge Associates firm.

"One of my first assignments with Ridge Associates was working with 32 IBM executives in Australia," she said.

Even though she was a 20-something, new employee she never blinked when it came to working with powerful and experience executives.

"Being humble was part of it because I was not an executive in a Fortune 500 company," she said. "But I tied (her seminar) into the vision and goals of each company. At the heart of it is people skills."

Her considerable people skills led to her founding and owning her own leadership skills company, Lockwood Leadership.

"It never gets old," she said of teaching leadership skills. "You can see people progress, and you can see results."

Those leadership skills were invaluable when she started working with the Community Foundation 11 years ago.

"To be a leader, you need to have your own clear vision," she said. "Where you want to head."

She headed out into the community to meet one-on-one with residents to explain what "Founders 50" was all about. "It's like having a savings account," she said. "Every year it gains in interest."

Brune said former board member and president Cathy Layton was her best mentor. Although Brune had taught leadership skills for years, Layton gave her lessons on how to meet one-on-one with possible donors, and how to ask for help. "She was fabulous," Brune said of Layton.

She also said he took John Clarke's advice when it came to finding new donors. "Find out what their passion is," Brune said she learned from Clarke.

Now, when Brune works at Stillpoint House of Prayer or at other nonprofits in the community, she can reflect back on those days as a lifeguard.

"Handing out food, seeing a lot of the faces, getting to know people, that's special," Brune said. "A lot of those families are homeless. To help them, to bring them some joy, to tell them ways that Stillpoint can assist them ... that's always a treat for me. ."