Tribute to Bob Burgin
By Leslie Anderson Before we could hit our stride on the sales pitch, Bob said, “Let me stop you right there. You don’t have to convince me, and here’s why: 98% of the babies born in Buncombe County start their lives right here in this hospital. One of my favorite places is the nursery. As I look at those babies I know this hospital has an important obligation to them – to give them a good birth – and a good life. I’ll do all I can to help you and these kids.” From the main man at Mission, Bob became a special man with a mission – a quiet, deliberate and mighty purpose – a mission of putting children first. A major finding of that conference was the lack of awareness about and services for young children in our county. In 1992 we founded Children First to advocate for young children. Bob and I were asked to Co-Chair the first Board of Directors. We did so for 2 years, and continue to work together on behalf of children and youth. Since that time, it is simply amazing – magical – how much has happened on behalf of kids. Let me give you a snapshot of what putting children first has inspired. Bob worked his magic and set the Children First vision and theory into practice. For example: In 1994 when there were too few pediatric sub-specialty doctors in the region, Bob convinced superstar Olson Huff to take a leadership role and abracadabra — the number of medical and dental sub-specialists went from 0 then to 17 today, along with their support staff. And a regional pediatric presence and practice was established. When research confirmed the great value of quality early care and education, and hospital staff needed childcare, presto — A Child’s Place was born. When our community was in urgent need of hospitalization and services for elementary age children in mental health crisis, whoosh — the Hospitals stepped into the breech and created an inpatient psychiatric unit. When the neonatal intensive care unit was full to overflowing and its equipment not up to par, shazam — a state of the art unit, 4 times bigger, was built. When the serious lack of dental care for poor children in the region was revealed, Olson secured special legislation and resources and, voila — the Children’s Dental Program was born, among the first in the nation. Today, the Tooth Bus supplies preventative and restorative dental care at 52 schools and 4 hospitals across the region. When community health needs popped up, hospital activists created an array of support programs, including camps for diabetes and asthma, the Safe Kids Program, and the Family Support Network for families with children who have special needs. When the hospital’s pediatric practice outgrew its quarters, Bob the Builder and Olson the Talker – what a great team those 2 are – looked through a clear window and shazam — with others launched a campaign to build new quarters for all the clinics… and the list goes on… Wow! Isn’t it incredible to think about these accomplishments? Just imagine, if you can, how many thousands, upon thousands, of children are better now due to these new resources. The Hospitals could have focused only on the home front but… It was time to build the organization of Children First and get programs going. Bob put the various resources of the hospitals behind the effort and — voila — a special partnership was born. Bob contributed his managerial and leadership acumen to help secure a strong Children First foundation. We needed marketing expertise and he loaned us Janet Moore and her many talents. We needed a logo, and a hospital marketing staffer designed the perfect one we use today. One of our first priorities was creating a model family resource center at Emma. A health clinic was especially needed in the impoverished neighborhood. Bob saw to it that one was established and put hospital architects onto transforming the portable classroom into a center. Today, Emma is a shining example of neighborhood and school transformation. After a while we were homeless, and Bob agreed to lease Children First space in the Doctor’s Building at a reduced rate. When we were merging with another organization, and there were issues about the future name, Janet offered to test name choices on a hospital survey. Those results sealed the merger, creating a much stronger children’s advocacy organization. Today, Children First is a name known far and wide. When we started Firms for Families, the Hospitals were the first business to volunteer to be measured on how child and family friendly they were and to address any deficiencies. And, of course…Children First needed money and abracadabra — the hospitals were generous… in sponsorship of 3 Children’s Conferences, Child Watch tours, and our recently established Children’s Festival. In the co-submittal of grant proposals, with in-kind assistance, and in annual donations, both corporately and by the Burgins personally. And perhaps, most importantly, Children First needed leaders. Bob lead by example as the first Co-chair, and supported Olson, Linda Poss, and Tom Bacon in following suit – a great blessing to us. These contributions point to a belief that was expressed on tonight’s invitation. Bob knows that health is more than the condition of the human body – it’s ultimately about the condition of the corporate body, the body politic, the community. Bob and Glenda’s support for so many groups beyond the hospital and Children First bear witness: Habitat for Humanity, YWCA, Kids Voting, Affordable Housing Coalition, Asheville High School, Education Coalition, and United Way to name a few. Now, Bob would be the first to say that these accomplishments are a team effort that require lots of hours of hard work by many hands…and many dollars, too. That presto magic… doesn’t happen without deep and wide commitment. But – it is also true that some small group of leaders must step up and get a transformation rolling – just as Bob did for kids and Children First. Without that leadership and without Children First, what would our community be like for kids? If not for Children First, there would be: No legislative advocacy agenda for children in the region. No dental sealants for all Buncombe 3rd graders. No family resource programming at Isaac Dickson School. No Child Watch awareness tours. No young adults with AmeriCorps tutoring all over the county, advancing an equivalent of 3 classrooms of kids into academic proficiency each year. If not for Children First, there would be: No Family Resource Center at Emma. No Youth Leadership Asheville. No Kids Cafés at Barnardsville and Emma. No community conscience on behalf of children in our county asking, “What’s best for the children? ...And there are many more examples I could cite. Yet — despite all these accomplishments, the needs of our children are still great. As advocates, we would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge this point tonight — children in our region are suffering and they are counting on us. You and me. The very group assembled tonight. Right now. For as we enjoyed our dinner tonight, around 10,000 children are food-insecure in Buncombe County. Some of us had a glass of wine or alcohol tonight. Around 8,000 youth, 40%, also had a drink in the last 30 days. As we kissed our precious children good-bye to come to this event, 333 children and youth await foster parents and adoption in Buncombe County. As we delighted in seeing friends and being here, there are many children and youth who feel isolated, scared, angry, and are abused or mentally ill. Our children need and deserve more Bob and Glenda Burgins – and Olsons, Lindas, Toms and Janets too! Yes, we each must work our magic as Pablo Casals said, “to make this world worthy of its children.” So thank you, Bob, for being a model child advocate. For all you and your colleagues – many in this room tonight – have done to make this world worthy. How gratifying for so many of us to have partnered with you and watched
you evolve from… Let us all commit to be mission magicians for children, for then, we will
truly… live happily ever after.
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