Fourth Quarter 2015

A Union Pacific Employee Clubs Newsletter FOURTH QUARTER 2015
Club
Club 8 members Kim Ury, left, and Lou Rochford shop for the Salvation
Army toy drive.
Club 8 members enjoy conversation and food at Rail Fest
8
North Platte, Nebraska
Club 8 Builds Community Ties
North Platte’s annual Rail Fest kept
members of Club 8, North Platte,
Nebraska, busy in September. The 47
members who assisted with the event
helped cook hamburgers and hot dogs,
worked on the model train display and
distributed water to the nearly 2,700
attendees. President Mick Jesse said the
club donated the locomotive bell from the
UPEC convention to Nebraska Western
Bank in North Platte.
At their November meeting, the 80
members in attendance voted to adopt a
boy and girl for Christmas through the
Adopt-A-Child program. The club agreed
to purchase toys and clothing for them.
They also donated to the Salvation Army
toy drive in December.
Club 75 Conducts
Gift Exchange,
Provides Donations
Club 75, Altoona, Wisconsin, held its Christmas
party Jan. 9. It included a white elephant gift exchange
with each gift valued at $10.
Nonperishable food items were
Club
donated to Feed My People and a
monetary donation was made to the
UPEC Friend to Friend Network.
75
Altoona, Wisconsin
Members of Club 75, Altoona, Wis., and their children enjoy a night of bowling in October.
AT T R A C K T I O N S 2
From UPEC Executive Committee Chairman Dale Fulenwider
Dale Fulenwider, UPEC Executive
Committee chairman
On behalf of the Union Pacific Executive Committee,
I thank each of you for dedicating yourself to the railroad and your community. We welcome you to a new
year. Good things are in store for us.
Through UPEC, we continue to see the positive differences we make on a daily basis. We want to continue
this tradition for future generations.
We also recognize the hard work of your club. Please
be sure to document your hours of service involvement,
monetary donations to charity, community service
projects and Operation Lifesaver presentations made
in the past 12 months.
Packet forms will be sent to clubs in March, which
will be used to submit information on club numbers,
donation totals and hours of service. The forms must be
completed to attend the annual convention. This year’s
convention will be held Aug. 2-5 in Portland, Oregon.
Please share your club activities for newsletter publication. Content can be submitted via phone, email
or USPS mail to Nathanael Urie, atTRACKtions
corporate journalist.
Urie can be reached via phone at 402-613-5356,
email at [email protected] and USPS mail
at 2201 Winthrop Rd., Lincoln, NE 68502.
St. James Makes Giving Priority
No matter what events they are celebrating, the 39 members of Club 70 in St.
James, Minnesota, keep the focus on what
matters most — helping to better their
community.
“The club’s purpose is to collect food
items or money for St. James’ Food Shelf at
all meetings,” said President Cleo Erickson.
The club’s 10 active members conduct
regular meetings in homes and restaurants
throughout southern Minnesota to plan the
allocation of the club’s time and efforts.
Recent events include assisting with
St. James Railroad Days in June supporting local Relay for Life celebrations in
July assisting with a company picnic in
Club
70
September hosting
a Halloween party
for about 400 children in October and conducting a club holiday dinner in December.
“An annual bake sale is usually held before Christmas, too,” Erickson said. “And
the money is donated to charity and UPEC
Friend to Friend Network.”
St. James, Minnesota
Christmas Caravan Captures Giving Spirit
Helping the less fortunate was the focus
for members of Club 54, North Little Rock,
Arkansas, who helped gather and distribute
food, clothing, household goods and more
Dec. 19 during the 11th annual Christmas
Caravan.
Held in the Clinton Presidential Center
parking lot, Christmas Caravan is an annual outreach event that provides toys and
other items as gifts for homeless and nearhomeless children, and basic necessities to
homeless and marginally housed adults.
It was the fourth year Club 54 took on
this project as its major charity event. With
help from UPEC Friend to Friend Network
volunteers, the club handled goods donated
by about 25 local Union Pacific employees,
plus their family and friends, which in 2014
valued $20,000. President Jim Haguewood
said that total was exceeded in 2015.
The participants, dressed in
Club
holiday-themed
clothing, paraded
North Little Rock, Arkansas
from the staging
54
area to help create a festive atmosphere for
those receiving the goods, which included
cereal, canned goods, vegetables, soups,
clothing, sleeping bags, pillows and blankets. Gift-wrapped packages and Christmas
stockings were part of the fun.
“The most satisfying thing is when everything is given out, I already have donations for next year,” Haguewood said. “You
would be surprised at what these people
could use.”
A Busy Time
It was a busy autumn for Club 54, which
conducted several fundraisers and events.
The annual children’s Christmas party
and silent auction was Dec. 5 at Jenks
Shop for Union Pacific employees and their
children. About 35 children and 60 adults
attended.
The auction helps defray costs for the
party, including children’s Christmas stockings, and other Club 54 activities.
“We probably wrapped more than 100
items,” Haguewood said.
Events earlier in the fall included:
• A soup and chili dog supper in November
at Jenks Shop, using it for a fund drive
and club promotion.
• An Oct. 1 event at Schaefer’s Pumpkin
Patch in Mayflower, Arkansas, serving
food and assisting during a hay ride and
corn maze.
• A family services day Oct. 16 during
which volunteers helped set up tents,
tables and chairs for vendors.
• Volunteer crossing guard duty at
CabotFest, a street fair and community
services event in Cabot, Arkansas. “We
have a lot of railroaders who live there;
many of them are retired Air Force,”
Haguewood said.
• North Little Rock Service Unit Family
Day Sept. 19, during which eight volunteers took charge of the bingo game.
• Operation Lifesaver awareness event
and crossing guard duty at the Faulkner
County Fair parade Sept. 15 in Conway,
Arkansas.
AT T R A C K T I O N S 3
Club 77, Adams, Wis., donates $200 to both Cindy Katthoefer and Linda Sorenson who are recovering from
medical procedures. From left are Greg Sorenson, Cindy Katthoefer and Richard Zietlow.
Helping
Club 77 members organize a brat fry to raise funds for Wendy Ritchie. She is a secretary for Adams
Friendship Elementary and an active community member. From left are Club members Bruce Nachreiner,
Richard Zietlow and Dom Pantaleo.
Those in Need
Keeping the spirit of charity alive is important to Club 77, Adams, Wisconsin.
The group capped a busy summer with a
brat fry Aug. 29. Proceeds, totaling $400,
benefited the school secretary for Adams
Friendship Elementary, who suffered a
stroke in July.
Members also participated in the Fourth
of July parade in Adams and a July 18 parade in Arkdale, Wisconsin, for the Lions
Recreation Days.
“We took the club’s little train to both
parades and gave kids rides,” said Richard
Zietlow, Club 77 member. “It’s always a big
hit with everyone.”
Club
77
Adams Friendship Elementary student Kara Kautzer volunteers at the stand with members of Club 77.
Adams, Wisconsin
92nd UPEC Convention Set For Portland
The 92nd annual UPEC Convention will
be Aug. 2-5 at the Sheraton Portland Airport
Hotel in Portland, Oregon.
Portland’s scenic location on the West
Coast gives the city its unique atmosphere.
It is home to various attractions, including
Washington Park, Columbia River Gorge,
Pittock Mansion, Waterfront Park and
Portland Art Museum. The Pearl District of
the city provides a host of restaurants and
art galleries.
Bus tours of the city are available along
with extensive light-car rail and a streetcar
system.
Just 35 minutes from downtown, visitors
can catch a glimpse of the countryside by
driving through Washington County’s vineyards and farms, and the Pacific Ocean is a
90-minute drive away.
Portland is home to more than 70 breweries and boasts a historic blend of architecture. It also is one of America’s most environmentally friendly cities, with extensive
public transportation and city planning.
AT T R A C K T I O N S 4
Club
66
Members of Club 66, San Antonio Service Unit employees, the Black Employe Network and Public Safety
participate in “Walk Like MADD” to bring awareness to drunk driving.
San Antonio, Texas
Club 66 members distribute food at the Salvation Army in December.
Club 66
Walks Like MADD
Eighteen Union Pacific employees hailing from San Antonio’s
Club 66, Black Employee Network and Public Safety teamed
Oct. 10 to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) at the annual “Walk Like MADD”
fundraiser. The event’s 359 participants raised
$41,425.31.
“This event helped raise awareness of the
permanent consequence that can result from driving
drunk and encouraged members of the community
to work together to eliminate drunk driving,” said
member Charlotte Featherling.
In December, club members enhanced their
communities by distributing food at the Salvation
Army.
KC Club Helps Families with Essentials
The food pantry at St. Mark’s United
Methodist Church in Overland Park, Kansas,
can count on the generosity of Club 4, Kansas
City, to ensure its families are stocked with
vital necessities such as food, diapers and
personal hygiene products.
The club launched its annual food drive
in September and collected items like these,
along with monetary donations, at events such
as club picnics, meetings and luncheons.
“The amount of families has increased
sharply,” said Club President Joan States.
The donations allowed the club to make a
cash donation to St. Mark’s to purchase food
from Harvesters at 13 cents per pound, which
added up to 8,125 pounds of food.
Club 4 also has remained busy with
various events, including a Sept. 19 family day at Neff Yard and Oct. 21 luncheon
at Argosy Buffet.
Donations for St.
Mark’s from these
Club
two events alone
totaled $300.
4
Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri
AT T R A C K T I O N S 5
Club
9
Portland, Oregon
Club 9 Spreads
Holiday Spirit
Club 9, Portland, Oregon, helped spread a
little holiday cheer this season by participating
with the Dec. 5 Holiday Express train ride at
Oaks Park Station.
Attendees enjoyed a performance by Putnam
High School’s a cappella choir, which holds the
distinction of serving as the 2014 OSAA choir
champions and the 2012 and 2014 NWOC
league champions.
“Club 9 also took in cans of food for donation to those in need,” said Club President Ruth
Dolan.
Upcoming events for the club include a
March 26 charity breakfast.
Club 9, Portland, Ore., donates $1,000 to
help with the medical needs of club member
David C. Pratt, who is recovering from an
automobile accident. From left are Club 9
President Ruth Dolan, Pratt and Don Dolan.
Members of Club 9, Portland, Ore., assist with the Holiday
Express Train Ride Dec. 5.
Club
Club 9 Recognizes Waters
Club 9, Portland, Oregon, recognizes member
Louise Waters for her dedication to the club, American
Red Cross and her church.
Waters recently received the President’s Volunteer
Service Award and a letter for her volunteer service
to the American Red Cross.
Waters plays an important part in donating her
time with the American Red Cross Bloodmobile at
Club 9 Secretary
Cashnita Harris
9
Portland, Oregon
the annual Union Pacific Family Days Picnic in the
Portland area.
Her volunteer activities with the American Red
Cross began in June 2001.
Club 9 President Ruth Dolan said Waters took on
a leadership role and kept Club 9 active 13 years.
She continues to be a valuable member of the club Club 9 membe
r Louise Water
s receives the
Pr es id en t’s Vo
and in her community, and is appreciated by all.
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r Se rv ic e Aw
co nt in ue s to
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be an ac tiv e
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e
AT T R A C K T I O N S 6
Club 51 Remembers
Johnny McDowell
Johnny McDowell, who died August
2014, joined Texas & Pacific Railway
in about 1958 as a switchman. His job
was to switch boxcars to build a train.
The employees used hand signals and
lanterns. There were speakers located
throughout the yard so they could talk
to the boss or yardmaster. Eventually
the speakers were eliminated and radios
became the means of communication.
McDowell worked “third trick” until he had enough seniority to be on
days with weekends off. He became
yardmaster in about 1970, and retired
as a switchman. During his time with
the railroad he worked for the T&P,
Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific.
He and fellow railroaders took time every
Christmas to visit special-needs schools and
sing Christmas carols
with Santa and bring
gifts to the children.
He, Johnnie Stotts and Club 51 members remember Johnny McDowell, pictured left with Club 51 President
Bob Hestes had been Raymond Switlik. McDowell died in August 2014.
going to Jo Kelly Special Education
School for more than 30 years singing looked out for co-workers, and they
and spreading joy to these children and looked out for him.
He joined UPEC in the 1980s and
staff.
Safety always has been an important was president of Fort Worth’s Club 51
factor at the railroad. In 1995, when approaching 26 years. He attended the
a co-worker was hurt, McDowell was conventions every year and enjoyed givthere for him every step of the way. He ing everyone a little bit of a hard time.
Club 39, Operation Lifesaver Make Impact
Operation Lifesaver plays an important role in educating the
public about the importance of grade crossing safety, and Club 39,
Stockton, California, is proud to do its part.
The club’s 75 members give at least one presentation a month,
along with collecting donations to contribute to the emergency
food bank.
“Operation Lifesaver is beneficial to the railroad because we
try to eliminate these incidents,” said Club President Earl Roider.
Club
39
“School teachers, principals and driving
Stockton, California
schools keep inviting us back and telling
us how much they enjoy the presentation and how much knowledge
they gain about how to stay safe.”
In January, the club will host an Operation Lifesaver booth at an
agricultural event at the Stockton fairgrounds; approximately 3,000
to 4,000 students will be bussed to the event. Roider said the club
will attend a similar event in nearby Lodi in March.
Ogden Salutes Veterans
Club
6
Ogden, Utah
An annual Thanksgiving luncheon
at Union Station provided the perfect
opportunity for members of Club 6, Ogden,
Utah, to show their appreciation for the
veterans in their midst. The vets received
Club 6 pins.
“We played ‘America the Beautiful;’ a lot
of them thought it was nice and thanked us
for it,” said Marsha Stephens, club president.
During the luncheon, the group of about
70 attendees presented longtime member
Donna Witherspoon a special award and
public transportation pass in honor of her
loyalty and attendance.
“She hasn’t missed an employee club
meeting in three years, and she uses public
transportation to get there,” Stephens said.
Those in attendance brought donations
to the meeting. Five bags of canned goods,
warm clothing and blankets were given to
a local charity.
The club will conduct a raffle Feb. 17,
with all proceeds going to a local center for
abused men, women and children.
Welcome to the Union Pacific Employee Clubs Newsletter, highlighting employee club members and club activities. This newsletter will be published quarterly. Please contact Pat, newsletter editor, and let her know about local and national
club activities, community involvement, charitable giving and anything else you would like to see in your newsletter. This newsletter is for you and you should be highlighted! Whatever pictures you can send via email or postal mail would
be greatly appreciated. News Link, 2201 Winthrop Rd., Lincoln, NE 68502-4158, 402-4756397, fax 402-475-6398, or email [email protected]. By submitting photos, you state that you are the sole author of the photograph and
control all rights for its use. Any employee who submits a photo retains all rights to the photo. By submission, you give Corporate Relations a perpetual license to use your photo and to sub-license the same for use by third parties. Thanks to
everyone who contributed to this edition of the newsletter, including but not limited to, Ruth Dolan, John and Renee Elstran, Cleo Erickson, Charlotte Featherling, Dale Fulenwider, Jim Haguewood, Mick Jesse, Earl Roider, Joan States, Marsha
Stephens, Raymond Switlik and Richard Zietlow.
AT T R A C K T I O N S 7
Club 51 members entertain students with Christmas music and gifts at Jo Kelly Special Education School and ISD Transition Center in December.
Club 51 Rings in Holidays
Many look forward to the activities of
Club 51, Fort Worth, especially around the
holidays. Members attend several events to
bring joy to those around them.
The group made a December appearance at Jo Kelly Special Education School
and ISD Transition Center. More than 80
children found a bright Christmas with the
appearance of Santa Claus and small gifts.
UP retirees Bob Hestes played Santa Claus,
and Johnnie Stotts played guitar. Employees,
retirees and employees from Frost Bank
dressed up as elves, and children received a
goodie bag.
Teachers expressed how grateful they
were to Union Pacific, Fort Worth Service
Unit Superintendent Kurt Zalar and DirectorSystem Locomotive Facility Mark Prince for
allowing Club 51 to attend and be a part of
the continued commitment to their children.
After the event, members met for lunch
to discuss activities throughout next year.
In the past four months, members have
participated in events for the American
Cancer Society, Relay for Life, the Arc, Boy
Scouts of America, Operation Kindness 4
Paws, Goodwill and West Side Food Bank
of Tarrant County. Members will conduct a
pancake breakfast in February and a raffle
in April.
AT T R A C K T I O N S 8
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UNION PACIFIC
EMPLOYEE CLUBS
Presidents Roster
Club
1
2
3
4
6
8
9
10
11
12
15
17
18
20 22
24 28 30
32
38
39
50 51 53
54
57
65
66
67
70
71
72
75
76
77
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83
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86
Location
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Denver
Omaha
Kansas City
Ogden, Utah
North Platte, Neb.
Portland, Ore.
Spokane, Wash.
Los Angeles
Salt Lake City
Pocatello, Idaho
La Grande, Ore.
Green River, Wyo.
Evanston, Wyo.
Seattle
Walla Walla, Wash.
Marysville, Kan.
The Dalles, Ore.
Salina, Kan.
Portola, Calif.
Stockton, Calif.
Chicago
Fort Worth
Houston
North Little Rock, Ark.
Addis, La.
Alexandria, La.
San Antonio
Livonia, La.
St. James, Minn.
Milwaukee
Mason City, Iowa
Altoona, Wis.
Boone, Iowa
Adams, Wis.
Fort Dodge/Eagle Grove, Iowa
Sparks, Nev.
Herington, Kan.
Roseville, Calif.
President
Dave Whisenhunt
Larry Lombard
Joan Hess
Joan States
Marsha Stephens
Mick Jesse
Ruth Dolan
Marguerite Haverfield
Ernie Flament
Bev Thrall
Gene Packer
Joshua Rock
Dorothy Walker
Joe Dean
Al Wilson
Ted Bren
Marilee Adams
Gary Houser
Jim Kirk
John Bonta
Earl Roider
Marc McCoy
Raymond Switlik
Aaron Tinnell
Jim Haguewood
Margaret Wick
James Drayton
Randol Royce
Sherman Matthews
Cleo Erickson
John Gavin
Kurt Christensen
John Elstran
Janet Schultz
Chris Reich
Gloria Spiegel
Steve Hancock
Rusty Beames
Raj Randhawa
Club
Members of Club 78 Fort Dodge/Eagle Grove, Iowa, share in the spirit of giving.
78
Fort Dodge/Eagle Grove, Iowa
Club 78 Presents Scholarship, Donations
Club 78, Fort Dodge/Eagle Grove, Iowa, has one main fundraiser for the year. They ask
the Twin Cities Service Unit for assistance in obtaining items for a raffle drawing. Among
the items for raffle this year were two Union Pacific watches, a mantel clock, backpacks and
shirts. The majority of these items are auctioned at the annual UPEC convention.
This year, the club also obtained full-service oil changes, car washes, grocery certificates
donated from local businesses. Another drawing was Dec. 10 at the club’s monthly meeting.
“We were all winners in knowing the money raised would help so many others,” said
Club 78 President Gloria Spiegel.
Main objectives for the fundraiser are to award a scholarship to a student in the Fort
Dodge/Eagle Grove school district and to help Share Christmas in Eagle Grove. Share
Christmas is a food pantry that helps young families and the elderly. The club also makes
donations to UPEC Friend to Friend Network.