Princess Briana Klindworth
Memorial Scholarship
Past Miss Red Wing Princess Briana “Breeze” Klindworth was killed by a drunk driver in 2004. The Red Wing Royal Ambassador Organization, previously the Miss Red Wing Program, was important to Briana, so her family, along with the Miss Red Wing Committee, decided to establish a Princess Scholarship in her memory.
A benefit, which included a silent auction and live band from St. Thomas University, led by Jimmy Eagle, was held at the local Elks Lodge to raise funds for the endowment.
The family was hopeful to raise $10,000, but the event took in an astounding $20,000. These funds were invested with help from the St. Paul Foundation and began to be donated to the Miss Red Wing Program in 2005.
Previously the funds each year went toward the two Miss Red Wing Princess scholarships.
Today, each equal ambassador receives a scholarship in part from the Briana Klindworth Memorial Fund.
Our hope is that this scholarship fund will continue to grow and, along with our memory of Briana, will last forever.
About Briana “Breeze” Klindworth
Briana Lynn Klindworth was born October 30, 1083 and died August 17, 2004 from a fatal automobile accident. She is the daughter of Keith Klindworth and Debra Lawrence. She was preceded in death by her sister, Katie Sue, who died shortly after birth from genetic complications. Her paternal grandparents are the late Jim Klindworth and Lois Klindworth and her maternal grandparents are Pat and Jerry Borgen.
Growing up, she went to Jefferson Elementary, Twin Bluff Middle School and graduated from Red Wing High School, and was to be a junior at the University of St. Thomas at the time of her death. Briana was majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in advertising and marketing.
During the summer, she was a day camp counselor for the YMCA and worked part-time at Destiny Diamond Jewelers in Red Wing. Briana was crowned a Miss Red Wing Princess in August of 2002 along with her co-princess, Chelsea Danielson, Queen Calli Jo Kirk, and Miss Congeniality Robyn Helleckson.
The Red Wing Royalty attended countless parades and events during that year with wonderful memories and experiences from all of these activities. Because of the Miss Red Wing program, Briana gained greater confidence in herself and loved telling others about our incredible city and truly glowed when people praised it. These girls were fantastic Ambassadors for Red Wing.