BNSF News

BNSF employee recognized by two U.S. presidents for work with charity

2013-08-08

Jude Quinn, a locomotive engineer based in Topeka, Kan., was honored at the White House at a reception hosted July 15 by President Barack Obama and former President George H.W. Bush to recognize Points of Light Foundation honorees.

Quinn was honored for his work as co-founder of SilverbackKS, an organization focused on providing services to the underprivileged and coordinating volunteer services.

Quinn grew up in the Chicago area and moved to Topeka about five years ago. "I did not grow up here, so I didn't have any friends," he said. "So I started joining a few community groups and volunteering."

He quickly realized that his schedule as a locomotive engineer would prevent him from making regular commitments on a weekly basis. And when he realized his growing circle of friends faced the same challenges, he and two of those friends organized SilverbackKS to help coordinate the needs of community agencies and volunteers.

One example of a SilverbackKS project is delivering meals at a homeless shelter. "We found out that the homeless shelter didn't provide lunch on Sundays - only breakfast and dinner," Quinn said. "A local church wanted to provide lunches to people who needed it, so now the people at that church regularly prepare 100 box lunches on Sunday which we deliver to people at the homeless shelter."

"Agencies and organizations needed volunteers, but people couldn't always commit to show up to group meetings on a set schedule," Quinn explained. "We put together a network of people interested in volunteering, and when we get information about volunteer needs, we share that information with people, and they volunteer when they can. We usually have enough volunteers show up to meet the need."

Quinn was contacted about the award nomination in March by The Points of Light Foundation. He had been nominated by a woman in Chicago he has never met but who became aware of the group's work and nominated Quinn for a Daily Point of Light award. After the nomination, the foundation completed a review of the SilverbackKS organization.

"Apparently they liked us a lot," he said. "I was not happy at first because the nomination was for me personally, and not the group. But people pointed out that receiving this honor would only call more attention to SilverbackKS and help us to provide assistance to more people."

The Daily Points of Light Foundation was created under the leadership of former President George H.W. Bush and has continued under the Obama administration. Quinn explained that getting an email inviting him to the White House was intimidating, but Quinn is proud of the honor for the many SilverbackKS' volunteers.

"You talk about the historical significance - walking those halls of the White House. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event," he said.

He's also being interviewed by local, state and federal media outlets - all raising awareness of SilverbackKS, which Quinn hopes will result in more volunteers.

"The more people who sign up to volunteer, the more people we can help," he said.

About the photo: Jude Quinn (right) poses at the White House with a fellow Daily Point of Light winner, Detroit Lion Defensive Lineman Isreal Idonije.

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