Upon looking at a Blacktie event photo of Cindi and Keith Burge at a Summer Debutante Ball that Cindi chaired, I couldn’t help but think how much the two of them looked like they could be the models for the bride and groom figurine “topper” on a wedding cake. Cindi with her radiant beauty and poise, and her handsome and aristocratic looking husband, Keith, have been married for 24 years and have successfully raised 3 sons.
Cindi Burge is the kind of person that everyone would want to have as a friend. With her can-do spirit, she’s warm, level-headed and comforting - and has a calm rhythm all her own. A dear friend of Cindi’s admiringly says: “Cindi has to be one of the most considerate, conscientious people I know. She’s very caring and worries about every little detail. These are the characteristics she brings to everything she does in the philanthropic world. Cindi cares about how others feel; and it’s important to Cindi that her contributions are all for the betterment of others, and that what she does is adding value to the community.”
Cindi Burge is a “salt of the earth” girl from the Midwest who grew up in Ohio and Michigan. When asked what one of her fondest childhood memories was, she said: “I grew up in a small city, so spending time in the country with my grandparents who owned a large dairy farm in Ohio, with lots of different animals around, was an incredible experience with many lasting memories. My sisters, brother and I spent our summers and most holidays there. There was always something to do. There was a swimming pond, a fishing pond - and our cousins lived close by.”
Cindi worked in the corporate world for a number of years, but decided to make her children her full-time job. She retired to be a stay-at-home mom; and as her boys grew, Cindi found herself more and more involved in non-profit volunteering. Her consistent support and dedication since then to several non-profits such as: The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Fine Arts Foundation, and the American Heart Association are truly impressive.
Along with her earnest and heartfelt dedication to her family and her community, Cindi is one of Denver’s class acts and is solid and dependable to the core. A gentle force, the popular Cindi embraces everyone with respect and kindness wherever she goes.
Cindi Burge is quietly and graciously leaving her imprint on the world around her. With her easy-to-love personality, she could hands down, win an “America’s Sweetheart” competition. For sure she would represent the State of Colorado well!
Cindi, you attend a lot of charitable events. Is there one in particular that you really look forward to attending each year? There are many wonderful charitable events in Denver, but my husband and I absolutely love Saturday Night Alive, the Denver Center for Performing Arts signature fundraiser which supports their Arts in Education programs. Besides supporting this wonderful cause, it has phenomenal entertainment and an incredible silent auction.
What fundraising activities are you involved with at this time? I just completed a year as President of the Denver Center Alliance and will be Co-President again next year. I will also Co-Chair the Fine Arts Foundation Debutante Fashion Show in March. In addition to that I serve on the Western Fantasy Steering Committee for VOA and am an active member of various Alliances.
What is your favorite Denver restaurant? We love any restaurant with a fabulous outside patio.
If you could go back 20-30 years in your life, what advice would you give yourself? To live life to the fullest and don’t sweat the small stuff!
As the President of the Denver Center Alliance this last year, what was your most memorable experience? I don’t know that I could pick just one memorable experience, because I had the pleasure of getting to know and work with so many wonderful people.
What can someone offer to do for a non-profit if they don’t have a lot of money to contribute at the time? They can contribute their time. Non-profits do need donations, but they also need people to volunteer their time and efforts to support their specific causes. Many of them do not have a large staff, and they depend on the hard work of volunteers.
How do we get more young people involved in charitable giving? I think we start by inviting young adults to events, get them involved and show them just how wonderful and rewarding it is. Many organizations have incorporated a “young professionals” group with special event pricing. We need current Guild and Alliance members to encourage young adults that they know to become involved.
What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now? In 10 years, I would like to be traveling, spending time with my children and eventually my grandchildren, and still be involved in charitable events.
Do you have any upcoming travel plans you can share with us? We did a lot of traveling last fall and winter, so we don’t have too much planned right now, except that our middle son is turning 21 this summer, and he would like to spend his birthday in Las Vegas with us. Can you believe that?
What qualities do you look for in a friend? I look for someone that is genuine, honest, caring and of course fun. I am very blessed to have wonderful friends.
What has been your best experience as a mom? Watching my three sons grow up to become responsible, caring young men. I am so blessed and so very proud of each of them.
What can always make you laugh? My husband and friends!
What are your hobbies or other interests? My husband and I love to travel. I have been fortunate to have traveled to many exciting and wonderful places in this world. I look forward to continuing that. We also enjoy golfing and skiing.
If you could go back in time and do something differently, what would it be? It is hard to say if I would do anything different. I would probably quit working sooner to spend more time with my kids when they were little. I did not “retire” from the corporate world until my youngest was in kindergarten. That was when my new career in the non-profit sector began.
What is your most treasured possession? My husband. Obviously not a possession, but truly a treasure.
Is there somewhere other than Denver you would like to live? Maybe someday? I love Denver and it would be hard to leave this wonderful climate, but if I were to leave, I would love to live on or near water. I lived in Michigan for many years when I was in school, and I miss the water.
What is something you would still like to learn to do – like play an instrument, learn a certain language? I would like to learn French or Italian which would be very helpful in our travels.
What would you most like to be remembered for? I would like to be remembered for raising three wonderful sons, being a good wife and friend, and supporting many wonderful causes.
