David Braganini 'be nice' fund to bring mental health help to schools

By Madison Bennett | MLive

KALAMAZOO, MI - A memorial fund in the name of the former president of St. Julian Winery will bring mental health awareness to students in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

The David Braganini "be nice." Memorial Fund is named in memory of the former president of St. Julian Winery, who died by suicide in July 2016.

Isabella Braganini, daughter of David's brother John Braganini, said her uncle's suicide came 10 years after his son had done the same.

"Dave struggled with depression and I didn't know how to help him deal with it and I looked the other way and I can't anymore because he's gone," John Braganini said.

"I made a decision that I was going to find a way to impact our family and the community in some way that would matter in the future and I found my way to the "be nice." program."

The fund was announced Tuesday, March 28 during a news conference at the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency in Portage. It is part of the "be nice" initiative created by the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan in 2010 and will provide support to school districts in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties that are interested in offering the "be nice." program.

"Nice" is an acronym for notice, invite, challenge and empower, said Christy Buck, executive director of the Mental Health Foundation.

Staff from the Mental Health Foundation will provide training and programs to a liaison from the school which they will then share with students.

"In the elementary module it tells you how you launch it and then the first day that all the classrooms are doing lesson one, then you end in a school-wide assembly," Buck said.

"But then there's lesson two, lesson three and it's up to that liaison to make the plan of 'how are we going to do this?'"

John Braganini said they had started talking about the idea of a fund in his brother's name in November with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The fund became a reality in December as they started meeting with individual school districts to measure interest.

"All the doors were open," he said.

John Braganini also worked closely with Jeff Elhart, of Holland, who worked with the "be nice." program as well, setting up a similar fund in his own brother's name after he died by suicide.

"Jeff and John are good friends. Jeff knew that part of the healing process .. .is being able to make changes in people's lives," Buck said.

Isabella Braganini, David's niece, struggles with depression as well.

"I remember days where I wouldn't go to school and I couldn't because I was the positive happy one and that's how I was known and if I couldn't be that person I didn't want to go," she said.

"I think just the fact that they're talking about it, it not only inspires me to keep going and keep fighting that fight but I think it would make my uncle proud and I think it's going to help a lot of people, kids and adults."

For David Braganini's family, the fund is about not only remembering their brother, but making a difference in the communities he so greatly impacted.

"He was larger than life and this is therapeutic for all of us so that we can somehow celebrate what he did and make a difference in the future," John Braganini said.

For more information on "be nice." programs in West Michigan, visit www.beniceonline.com. 

This post originally appeared March 28, 2017 on MLive.com.