“It’s unusual to go to a Rotary, Land Conservancy, or city event, and not see Sandy participating,” said Stephen Adams, Buechley’s Living Treasures mentor. “Sandy understands the value of volunteer time and spends hers where she can (do) the most good. Sandy’s volunteer calendar must not have many blank spaces.”
Born in Minnesota, Buechley moved to Santa Barbara with her family at the age of 6 and grew up there. “My favorite subject in school was math, specifically algebra. I later studied accounting and computer science in college,” she said. She relocated with her two young sons to Ojai in 1964, beginning a six-decade-long journey of community contributions.
In her first major role in Ojai, Buechley spent six years working as the business manager of Monica Ros School. In 1975, she signed on as one of the first employees of the then-Ojai Valley Racquet Club (now Ojai Valley Athletic Club). She assembled the team that set up the club’s first 10 tennis courts, its first pool, and its original clubhouse. In the early ’80s, she switched gears and became Patagonia’s business intelligence manager, handling complex budgets and international analytics for 37 years before retiring in 2020.
But retirement is a loose term for Buechley. She’s an active member of Rotary Club of Ojai and the Monica Ros School board of trustees; she spent six years on the Ojai Music Festival board of directors; and she remains vice president of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy — she was previously president, as well — and is president of The C.R.E.W. (Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers).
“On occasion, I had the pleasure to work with Sandy back in her time with Patagonia, and I’m happy to say she is the same enthusiastic, caring individual today that she was back then,” said Todd Homer, The C.R.E.W.’s administrative manager. “Her leadership has been an inspiration to us at The C.R.E.W. She is a tireless ‘giver to the community,’ and her qualities of kindness, helping others, and environmental awareness have helped to mold The C.R.E.W. into the organization we are today.”