(The following story by Laurie Borslien appeared on the Roanoke Times website on December 9. C.D. Young is a member of BLE Division 301 in Roanoke, Va.)
ROANOKE, Va. — C. David Young is always on the run. The locomotive engineer is on call 24 hours a day for Norfolk Southern Corp., continually traveling between his Roanoke home and Winston-Salem, N.C.
Young said it’s hard for him to make plans to do something because he may have to cancel if duty calls. Unable to dedicate his time to community service or volunteer organizations, he has donated to The Roanoke Times’ Good Neighbors Fund for several years.
Young started working for the railroad while in high school. With less than two years until his retirement, he said he hasn’t had much opportunity in his life to dedicate his time to other projects.
“That’s why I don’t date,” he said with a laugh. “I’d have to give you an hour’s notice if I did.”
When his schedule permits, Young said he does community service through Westminster Presbyterian Church in America on Peters Creek Road. He said he was raised to help people in need.
Young said he’s also driven to donate to the Good Neighbors Fund because it benefits Roanoke Area Ministries.
“I can connect with these people because they’re here in Roanoke,” he said. “It could be my neighbor and I wouldn’t even know it. I’m out of town so much, I couldn’t even tell you my neighbors’ names.
“You always read about people doing good deeds, but I’m on the road all the time. It’s a busy world and I think this is a good way for me to help.”