BNSF News

Employee Makes a Difference for Adult Day Care Center

2009-11-23

Elder Haven adult day care center in Barstow, Calif., offers services much like senior recreation-type centers across the country.

It's a place senior citizens gather to play games, go on field trips, eat lunch and socialize. But the rocky economy and dwindling donations were about to force the center's closure.

Then Roger Martin, mechanical leadman/shop planner and 37-year BNSF employee, got involved. His wife, Diane, is a part-time employee at the center, which offers its services for free. When Diane Martin told her husband the center was getting ready to close, Roger Martin jumped into action.

The result was a $10,000 grant from the BNSF Foundation that has helped put the center back on its feet, at least for the time being.

"My wife's mother went to Elder Haven for the last couple of years of her life, and she thoroughly enjoyed it," Roger Martin said.

When he goes to visit the center, two retired members of the military are often on hand. Roger Martin said he salutes, they salute - and get a happy twinkle in their eyes. Those experiences motivated Roger Martin to do more than commiserate when he learned about the center's financial woes.

Dorene Millar, the program's office administrator, said the grant helped the center continue with its existing services.

"I love to give back, I always have," Roger Martin said. "With the seniors, it's our turn (to help)."

Roger Martin also realizes that the fight to keep the center - and others like it - open isn't over. He now sits on the board of directors for Elder Haven.

"I wasn't going to sit back and just let them sink," he said. "Now that I'm on the board of directors, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen."

About the photo: BNSF representatives Mark Kirschinger, general manager, Division Operations; Dan Fransen, terminal superintendent; and Roger Martin present a grant to Elder Haven representatives.

BNSF Headquarters

For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com