“I think everything begins with a conscious interest in what’s happening around us.” — Mark Bucholtz, Faces of Grassroots

This is the story of a man who spent his life searching for answers — first in books, and later in people. His curiosity about the world led him to libraries, to data, and eventually to Ukrainian families he now helps.

Childhood

Mark was born in a small town near Waterloo. His family lived there for the first five years of his life. His father was a plumber, and his mother worked in a grocery store. When it became harder to find work in their hometown, the family moved to Kitchener-Waterloo. That’s where Mark grew up, went to school, and spent a lot of time playing sports — hockey, football, and baseball. 

After finishing high school, Mark entered Wilfrid Laurier University, where he earned a business degree in 1982 and met his future wife. 

He remembers himself as a real “book nerd,” always interested in reading about the world. His passion for reading grew especially strong in high school — so much so that his friends joked he might soon get bedsores from lying in bed reading all the time. Mark read everything — from U.S. history to fantasy and science fiction, and a lot about economics and politics.

“My dad expected me to join his construction business and was surprised when I told him I didn’t want to go into the family trade and was going to university instead. But later, he was very proud of me when I was doing well,” Mark says.

Mark has a daughter and two grandchildren — a nine-year-old granddaughter and a five-year-old grandson. They live in New Hamburg, just 25 minutes from his home.

Career: From Teacher to Data Migration Specialist

After university, Mark earned a teaching diploma and taught in Toronto for three years. He was uncomfortable teaching, though, and couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t truly his calling. The constant rush and noise of Toronto were draining — both emotionally and physically. So the couple, already expecting their first child, made a decisive move toward a life that suited them better and returned to Kitchener — a place that felt more in tune with their rhythm.

After a short time in construction, Mark went back to school to become a librarian — a decision that defined his career in library IT companies.

He received a job offer from an American library company that was hiring new staff. The family had to move to Utah, where the company’s head office was located.

“It was supposed to last six months, but ended up being almost a year — and we loved it there. Our daughter was two years old, and since Utah is largely a Mormon region, it was a wonderful place to live with a small child. Plus, the weather was much nicer than in Waterloo,” Mark recalls.

That’s where his long career in library technology began.

At first, Mark worked as a trainer, teaching library staff how to use the company’s new software. After about six months, the company began expanding rapidly in Canada and created a systems installation team. Mark was invited to become the first installation team manager, which allowed him to travel less and spend more time with his family. He stayed in that role for five years.

While working as a manager, Mark noticed that one team member responsible for data migration from old library systems was struggling. Curious, Mark started learning how to do it himself — he taught himself programming, analyzed code, and experimented.

“It wasn’t difficult and I enjoyed doing it,” he says.

He gradually moved from management to technical work with data migrations, which later became his main profession. A few years later, Mark decided to leave management completely and focus on programming. When he told his supervisor, she was surprised:

“She said, ‘You’ll have to take a big pay cut.’ I said I didn’t mind. I just wanted to do what I liked,” Mark recalls.

That decision became a turning point in his career. Thanks to his determination, he became one of the company’s leading data migration specialists. His work was soon recognized: the U.S. office noticed the quality of his projects. One day his boss called him in and said they were raising his salary by over twenty thousand dollars.

“That’s what was amazing! My dad couldn’t believe it when I told him,” Mark continues. “So in the end, I was earning quite a bit. But honestly, that wasn’t the point — I just loved doing what I was doing.”

After twenty years with that company, Mark joined a Canadian library software firm based in British Columbia, where he has worked for over fifteen years. His specialization includes data migrations and technical support. He doesn’t work in libraries directly — he helps them from the technical side: transferring catalogues, patron information, and circulation data from old systems to new ones.

“We helped libraries all across Canada — from small municipal ones to large university libraries. The best part is seeing how technology improves people’s access to knowledge.”

Behind every story of accomplishment, there’s often someone quietly holding things together. In Mark’s case, it was his wife Diane — the steady force beside him through every move, every career change, every new beginning. Each time Mark went back to school, it meant she had to quit her job and start over somewhere new — London, Toronto, even Utah. For a full year, she lived there with their two-year-old daughter in a small basement apartment, far from family and friends. Still, she made it work. With her sociology degree and years of retail experience, she built a new path for herself — first at Manulife, and now as a Volunteer Coordinator at a seniors’ residence near their home. It’s a role she loves, one that perfectly fits her warmth and compassion. For more than twenty years, she’s also volunteered with therapy dogs through St. John Ambulance, bringing comfort and joy to people in long-term care.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have achieved what I did without her support,” Mark says. “Every career change — she was right there beside me, keeping everything together,” Mark says.

Today, Mark works from home — just ten hours a week. He’s semi-retired but still enjoys what he does: reading, cooking, gardening, and working with data.

“I still work with data, and it brings me real satisfaction. Every day, I start by reading — The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New York Times, the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Flipboard. I especially follow news from Ukraine,” Mark says.

The War in Ukraine

In February 2022, after weeks of reading news about Russian troop buildups near Ukraine’s borders, Mark understood what was coming. And on February 24, the news broke: Russia had launched a full-scale invasion.

“I was shocked that Russia attacked another country in this day and age. When I saw images of women and children fleeing, it was horrifying,” Mark recalls and adds: “When you see people starving, being killed, or losing their homes — a decent person can’t stay indifferent.”

Mark remembers reading reports about the battle for Kyiv, when Russian forces were already near the capital.

“It felt like hand-to-hand combat at times. I still remember reading about that long line of Russian tanks… they thought the war would end in 24 hours. Russians completely overestimated themselves and underestimated the spirit and willpower of Ukrainians,” he says.

Volunteering

After seeing those images, Mark knew he had to act. He searched online for ways to help, guessing that Ukrainians would soon be arriving in the Waterloo Region. That’s how he found Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis, filled out a volunteer form, and soon became a driver, transporting newcomers from Toronto hotels to host homes across the region.

Later, he started helping families with grocery trips, appointments, and driving them to food banks, and delivering produce from the farmers’ market — becoming part of the Saturday food distribution team.

Mark does small but meaningful things — donating to the Grassroots Response food fund, buying a few extra bags of potatoes when supplies run low, helping a Ukrainian mother cover rent, or driving someone to the food bank so they don’t have to go alone.

“I try to give about 10% of my income to charity. In recent years, that’s been Grassroots Response.”

Advice for Newcomers

Mark says he wishes he spoke Ukrainian to better understand the people he meets. He also wishes he had more resources, financial or professional, to support those starting over.

“Don’t be afraid to change direction, even if it means taking a step back in your career. Sometimes what looks like a setback actually leads you to your true calling. Do what makes you happy, even if it means starting again. If you love what you do, success will come — maybe not right away, but it will. And most importantly, don’t measure your work only by numbers on a paycheck. Real reward is knowing you’re in the right place,” Mark advises newcomers.

 

Faces of Grassroots

In every Grassroots story, some volunteers don’t seek attention — but they are the ones who keep things moving. Mark is one of them. Quietly, steadily, without big words, he just does what needs to be done — and that alone inspires more than any speech. His story is a reminder that true kindness doesn’t start with grand gestures, but with a small choice — to notice, to care, and not to look away.

Author: Olena Gadomska