Community Involvement

Day of Caring: BNSF Employees Join with United Way to Help Others

Nearly 150 Industrial Products (IP) employees joined forces recently for the group's sixth annual United Way Day of Caring in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Established by United Way in 1992, the Day of Caring promotes the spirit and value of volunteerism, increases awareness of local human service agencies and schools, and demonstrates what people working together for the community's good can accomplish.

"Once a year, the IP team brings in geographically dispersed sales and support personnel for a two-day conference," said Peter Disterlic, manager of sales, IP, Fort Worth. "The day before that conference, our people work in conjunction with United Way to do community service."

This year, IP employees restored the homes of senior citizens, repaired playgrounds, operated donation centers and provided lawn care for community members.

"To me, the Day of Caring is one of the best parts of the annual staff meeting," said Ricky Stover, market manager, IP, Fort Worth. "You get to work together with folks that you don't usually get to work with. The unity that teamwork builds is one of the biggest benefits of the conference."

Stover noted that while the IP teams took on the traditional yard work and maintenance tasks for area agencies, they also tried a few more ambitious projects this year. In one day, BNSF employees replaced an elderly woman's kitchen floor. They also installed railing and mended fencing for a blind man.

"United Way made it a point to let us know that it's one thing to have 150 people out doing community service, but it's another thing to have 150 people working really hard at it," Disterlic said. "This is definitely the hardest working team we've been a part of."

Local retailers and other companies also pitched in. Home Depot donated gift cards to help volunteers buy supplies for projects as needed. Dr Pepper/Snapple donated water to ensure that everyone stayed hydrated. Jason's Deli provided meals at a substantial discount and coordinated delivery to seven different locations. The United Way donated T-shirts and organized the day's events.

"This was the most involved other companies have ever been," Stover said "Their contributions allowed us to make the most of our budget, and we hope to get more companies involved next year."

"We can't wait until next year's Day of Caring," added Disterlic. "The team works so hard, and the community is so appreciative. It's just an extremely rewarding experience."