History of Foundation
Blue Bird Body Company was founded by the Luce family in 1927. The founding couple, Helen Mathews Luce and Albert “Buddy” L. Luce served Peach County, Fort Valley, and the state of Georgia their entire lives and engrained the servant leader lifestyle in their sons, George, Albert, and Joseph, who ran the company until the early 2000s.
Albert Luce was a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and was recognized as a Golden Giver in recognition of his 70 years of consecutive giving to the institution.
Helen Mathews Luce was a 1911 graduate of Wesleyan College, the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women, and she championed many causes through the Methodist Church.
To honor and continue the Luce Legacy, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation was founded in 2015 with a focus on education, safety, and children.
Over the past decade, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation has supported over 80 non-profit organizations in the Middle Georgia community including Atrium Navicent Health Foundation (the Children’s Hospital), Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, and Fort Valley State and University.
Community Engagement
Blue Bird Body Company’s history is intertwined with the history of Peach County, Fort Valley, Macon-Bibb County and countless other rural Georgia communities. In 2024, Blue Bird sponsored the Magnolia Soapbox Derby which ignited a sense of community within Blue Bird.
A small group of new engineers worked relentlessly on replicating Blue Bird #1 to enter in the Derby. This group’s design won 2nd place in “Best in Show” and Blue Bird has proudly showcased the replica at the 2024 Peach County Celebration of Community.
Blue Bird looks forward to a renewed partnership with Peach County Schools and the entire Middle Georgia Community.
