Mary Beth and Bernie Buescher have spent their lives helping make Colorado the best place to live and raise a family, including their own. They raised their four children – Michael, Elizabeth, Marcia, and Susan- their proudest accomplishments, in Grand Junction.
With a commitment to children and supporting the community at all levels of government and non- profit work, they first became involved with Invest in Kids in the late 90’s after connecting with several of Invest in Kids’ founders. One evening, Bernie was seated next to Dr. David Olds, founder of Nurse-Family Partnership, at a dinner for a partner nonprofit. Bernie and Mary Beth quickly recognized the alignment between Invest in Kids’ work and their own personal goals. “What they were trying to accomplish just made sense,” they share, and “stood out as a shining example of what we could all accomplish.”
There are many accomplishments to note for this couple, as they have served on dozens of boards over the years and been dedicated to public service for their entire lives. Mary Beth was the first female lawyer admitted into practice in Mesa County, and spent 15 years as a deputy district attorney for Mesa County. She ran the Great Books Program at her children’s school and served 13 years on the Mesa County Child Protection Team, along with two years on the Colorado Juvenile Parole Board and an appointment to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education in 2016. Bernie is currently in private practice with Ireland Stapleton, prior to this he served as Deputy Attorney General and the Secretary of State for the State of Colorado, and was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2004 and immediately appointed to the Joint Budget Committee. There, he worked on behalf of Colorado to find innovative bipartisan solutions to the difficult issues facing Colorado. This included ensuring that Colorado retain funding for the Nurse-Family Partnership during difficult economic times.
The two were originally drawn to Invest in Kids’ dedication to excellence, along with its rigorous approach to research and evaluation, ensuring success for more children and families. That approach is what has also kept them intimately engaged with the organization for over 20 years, and eager to see how the organization continues adapting to support families as many Coloradoans face an uncertain future.
Since the Bueschers were first introduced to Invest in Kids, both have remained steadfast in their commitment. Looking ahead, they are eager to see how technology continues to impact our work, and now new opportunities to connect with parents through videoconferencing may help even more parents in the wake of COVID-19. They also agree on the importance of everyone coming together to be supporters of effective and impactful nonprofits that champion children and families.
No matter the role, both are clear that one thing matters above all else – helping children and families be the best they can be, as early as possible. As Mary Beth states, “It’s the most important thing we can do as a society.”
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