Residents of Florida since 2004, the Brines have spent decades supporting Catholic education and helping students have opportunities they might not otherwise have. In the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, that commitment has taken on a new form through the Lakota Foundation Fund.

Both Peter and Karen know firsthand the difference a Catholic education can make. Karen attended Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia before continuing her education at Newton College of the Sacred Heart. “It was wonderful education for me, and I was very happy to be educated by both institutions,” she recalled.

Peter’s educational path was a little more circuitous, including parochial and boarding schools, and brief stints at the College of the Holy Cross and Saint Anselm. He is quick to joke that he was not always the strongest student, but he is just as quick to explain what Catholic education gave him. “The Catholic education I received provided me with structure, discipline, motivation, and a community,” he said.

Since 1993, Peter and Karen have supported Catholic school students through scholarship opportunities across the country. When they moved to the St. Petersburg area, they continued looking for ways to make a difference. In early 2024, after hearing an appeal about Catholic education at their parish, they contacted the Diocese and established the Lakota Fund to provide tuition assistance to families with children in grades pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Following the hurricanes that affected the area later that year, the Brines added to their gift to help those affected by the storms. Their request was simple: use the funds where they could do the most good.

For families facing difficult circumstances, that support can mean more than simply being able to afford tuition. A Catholic school can provide a sense of stability and belonging at a time when so much else may feel uncertain. It means teachers who know a child by name, a community that becomes family, and an academically rigorous education rooted in Catholic faith.

The Brines are particularly interested in helping students who may not have perfect academic records, but who have the desire to work, grow, and make the most of an opportunity. For them, education is about more than grades. It is about developing the habits and character that can carry a person through life: showing up, working hard, trying again, telling the truth, and becoming part of something larger than oneself.

Perhaps the clearest picture of the Brines’ vision is the way they continue to be personally involved with the people their generosity reaches. They remember names. They keep letters. They mark anniversaries with families they have helped. Their philanthropy is not simply about writing a check and moving on. It is about relationships and about seeing what can happen when someone is given an opportunity.

Their story also offers a reminder that generosity can take many forms. Individuals and families can consider how they can support schools, parishes, and ministries that matter most to them. Through the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, donors can establish endowment funds to support Catholic causes they care about and create a plan for their generosity that can continue into the future.

For Peter and Karen, that cause is Catholic education. As Peter put it, when given the opportunity to choose the kind of student who is ready to make the most of an opportunity, the qualities he values are clear: “You’d choose the one that had the background of discipline and was motivated and had structure.”

Their legacy is a simple one: opportunities can change lives. And sometimes, the greatest gift we can give is the opportunity to learn and grow.

To learn more about how to support Catholic education, please contact the Catholic Foundation at 727.374.0220 or email contact@catholicfoundation.org