(Burlington Northern Santa Fe issued the following news release on May 22.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation today announced plans to operate the “2003 BNSF Special” in Kansas, Texas and New Mexico to help raise funds for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The “BNSF Special” is a train comprised of vintage, restored BNSF passenger rail cars that are used to give rides to BNSF employees and their families, and as a fundraising vehicle for the Boys & Girls Club.
The 2003 BNSF Special will raise funds for six different Boys & Girls Clubs along the route, including: Emporia, Kan. (for the Topeka Club), Wellington, Kan. (for the Wichita club); Amarillo, Lubbock and El Paso, Tex.; and Albuquerque, N.M.
In addition, The BNSF Foundation has pledged donations totaling $85,000 to Boys & Girls Club organizations. Of that total, $25,000 will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America national organization. The BNSF Foundation has also pledged to match local contributions to the BNSF Special of up to $10,000 for local Boys & Girls Clubs in each of the six cities. The fundraising partnership between BNSF and Boys & Girls Clubs of America began in 2002.
“The BNSF Special represents more than a commitment between our company and Boys & Girls Clubs, it represents a commitment to help make a difference in the lives of young people in the communities we serve, especially to those that are disadvantaged,” said Matthew K. Rose, BNSF’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Thousands of BNSF employees volunteer to participate in community activities each year and the BNSF Foundation makes hundreds of grants to support the work of these employees and other charitable causes in the 28 states and two Canadian provinces in which BNSF operates.
“The 2003 BNSF Special allows us to build on that tradition in a unique way while also sharing some of the romance and nostalgia of our company’s past with a new generation,” Rose said.
“Burlington Northern Santa Fe has been a corporate partner of ours for several years and we really appreciate the company’s support. The BNSF Special is a wonderful means for our Clubs to raise significant revenues while educating Club kids about the important role the railroad plays in delivering products we use every day,” says Ron Sylvan, Director of Development, Southwest Region, Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The train rides the BNSF Special will provide for Boys & Girls Clubs will begin operating in each of the six cities on the following schedule.
— 1:00 p.m., May 30 – Emporia, Kan.
— 1:00 p.m., May 31 – Wellington, Kan.
— 1:00 p.m., June 4 – Amarillo, Tex.
— 1:00 p.m., June 6 – Lubbock, Tex.
— 1:00 p.m., June 10 – El Paso, Tex.
— 8:30 a.m., June 12 – Albuquerque, N.M.
Each participating Boys & Girls Club will be provided with a total of 350 tickets for passengers on their designated trip onboard the BNSF Special. Boys & Girls Clubs will distribute or sell the tickets as they wish. A simultaneous luncheon or dinner will also be provided on board a special dining car on each train trip for up to 28 Boys & Girls Club donors or other supporters.
The train trip is being provided by BNSF at no cost to Boys & Girls Clubs. The 2003 BNSF Special will also be used to provide train rides to BNSF employees and their family members along the route as a special thank you for their service to BNSF, our customers and the communities we serve. BNSF has sponsored such special train rides for employees and their families on a different part of BNSF’s network each year, for the past several years. Tickets for employee trips are issued only to current, active BNSF employees.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org ) comprises a national network of 3,000 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than 3.3 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as “The Positive Place for Kids,” Clubs provide guidance-oriented programs on a daily basis for children 6 – 18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key programs emphasize character and leadership development, educational enhancement, career preparation, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.
A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE: BNI), BNSF operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America, with 32,500 route miles covering 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at www.bnsf.com . The railway is among the world’s top transporters of intermodal traffic, moves more grain than any other American railroad, transports the components of many of the products we depend on daily, and hauls enough coal to generate about 10 percent of the electricity produced in the United States.