2023 March Volunteer of the Month Bruce M.

We're happy to introduce our Volunteer of the Month, Bruce M. Bruce has been a dedicated and dependable SnowBusters volunteer for the last 5 years.  His positivity and zest for life are obvious to anyone who meets him. One of his views of life – always challenge yourself. 

Seventy years ago, Bruce was born in Yonkers, New York by a brave and courageous single college student, Ruth, but was given up for adoption three days later to a wonderful couple Howard and Genevieve. Raised in Darien, Connecticut, Bruce appreciates the sacrifices his parents made and says they were excellent role models. In fact, they both worked extra jobs to allow them to live in a more affluent area so he and his sister could receive a better education. Three years ago, Bruce met his birth mother, Ruth, in person! They have fostered a wonderful relationship and are making up for lost time.

After graduating from high school in Connecticut, Bruce and a buddy crewed on a 95-foot schooner in the Baltic Sea off of Sweden and then hitchhiked around Europe for a summer before moving to Boulder to attend the University of Colorado. While he was in school, he saw CU differently. Back then, he worked his way through school, so a lot of his life was spent off campus working in Boulder. This allowed him to become part of Boulder community, not just CU. So, he developed a love of both – all things Boulder and CU.

Bruce graduated from CU with a B.A. degree in geology in 1979. After graduation, he moved to the bayous of Louisiana, where he worked for Schlumberger on offshore rigs as a wireline engineer.  After this, his story gets nomadic – he had the good fortune of working in first the oil and gas industry and then the environmental field while residing in several parts of the county. His journey took him to both the east and west coasts, the gulf coast, and mid-America, before finally settling back in Colorado. Each place provided a unique opportunity for meeting new people while learning the cultures and activities that were represented in those areas. 

So, after wandering the desert for 40 years, he is home. This was about 7 years ago. He has always wanted to be back here; he guesses Chief Niwot’s curse is very true. 

Bruce is semi-retired, working as a hydrogeologist with Janeil Environmental Solutions, which allows for time to travel, hike, bike, ski and visit with family and friends. 

Travel has always been a big part of Bruce's life, and during his travels he met some amazing people and has seen the most fantastic sights. He has been to all 50 states and visited wonderful places around the globe, from hiking the Salkantay Trail into Machu Pichu to exploring Thailand. But of all the sights he's seen, Yosemite is his favorite!

Today, the three most important people to Bruce are his two children and his partner Ranelle.  His daughter, Jane, is an adventurer and healer with a passion for life just like her dad. His son Neil is a true renaissance man, uniquely gifted in the art of creation. And, in Ranelle, he says he's fortunate to have the most wonderful partner to wander through life with. He says he's lucky to have them all in his life.

The most influential senior in Bruce's life was his French grandmother Princess Colonna (who he called Meme). She was a member of the famed French underground resistance, where she helped escapees flee from Germany during the WWII. She helped captured a dreaded German Gestapo, years after the war in Connecticut.

His path of life has been a wild and wonderful adventure. Always something new and different around each corner if you look for it.

Passionate about being involved and giving back to his community, Bruce is not only an active volunteer for Cultivate but he also volunteers with Via Mobility, Boulder Forever Buffs, Forever Gold, Bike Patrol and is an OSMP Ambassador.  He says that helping others brings him happiness knowing that it may relieve them of some of their challenges and burdens.  He finds it interesting to engage with our clients and says hearing their stories is so rewarding.

He believes that being involved is so important; by always remembering that it is the small things that we can do, that impacts the larger good. Pay it forward!!! Volunteering is easy and so rewarding!!!

We are so lucky to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer like Bruce.  His love of meeting people and making a difference is a testament of the good-hearted volunteers in our Cultivate family. Thank you, Bruce, for all that you do for Cultivate and our community!