伯纳德Celestin
If you were to jot down the number of organizations bus operator 伯纳德Celestin has worked with in the Denver-Aurora area over the past 40 years, one of three things will probably happen: a) your wrist will tire; b) your ink will run dry; or c) you will need more paper.
Celestin first came to Colorado 40 years ago with the military, as a member of the U.S. Army’s 24th psychological operations (PSYOP) unit. When he saw the open space and beautiful mountains, he knew it was a place to make home.
To understand Celestin’s prolific career in community service, 他回想起与父亲的一次谈话. Looking back at an accomplished career as a surgeon that took him from Haiti to the Red Cross in Liberia, 塞莱斯汀的父亲告诉他, “I’ve got all the pride and knowledge to be an excellent doctor, 但这就是我:一个医生.” He lamented not having done “different things in life.”
回想起来, Celestin wonders where he found the time to do it all – and by“all,” he means working a regular job and raising a son and two daughters with his beloved wife of 35 years, Robbyn. His gas tank may have run low on several occasions, but he never ran out. And Celestin is not the type of person to miss an appointment or be late for a meeting.
他的贡献并没有被忽视. 1985年，他获得诺贝尔奖 Minoru Yasui 社区义工奖, given to leaders “who make a unique difference to the community” in the Denver metropolitan area.
你可能会问, 很多人都问过塞莱斯廷, 对于这样一个社区服务型的人, “为什么RTD?”
The bus operator replies, “What’s wrong with here?”
对于Celestin, operating a bus is a continuation of a career arc dedicated to serving his community – the most recent stop on what has been a long road.
塞莱斯汀和RTD的故事开始了, 具有讽刺意味的是, 在个人失败的情况下, 随着时间的推移, morphed into what he calls a “wonderful blessing.”
His dream was to serve on the Aurora City Council. 追逐梦想, Celestin resigned from his job in management with the Department of Homeland Security – two years prior to Election Day. 他和亚瑟谈话, an RTD bus operator who drove Celestin five days a week to Denver International Airport. Arthur told him: “I’m sure you could drive one of these things.“宜早不宜迟, Celestin operated buses out of the East Metro garage, serving Aurora while waist-deep in a campaign for a City Council seat.
The day that Celestin had been waiting for finally arrived: Election Day. 当所有的选票被统计出来时，他输了.
It was then that Celestin came to a realization: In all that time spent campaigning, 他爱上了RTD.
2021年是塞莱斯汀在RTD的第13个年头. In that time, he has come to appreciate public transportation as a “gift” to urban populations. He defines RTD as the “heartbeat” of the greater Denver metro area. 每一天, RTD makes countless safe journeys for a wide range of people: from preschoolers to high school students, 工作的成年人, 需要搭车去看医生的老年人, or anyone who wants to enjoy all that the metro area has to offer like plays or Broncos games. To be a part of that and witness firsthand “the amount of things RTD does for the district,塞莱斯廷说。, “暖心又刺激吗?.”
为他, the job is about the “little things”: making friends with passengers, stopping the bus to wait for someone sprinting a block away, helping an elderly person across a busy intersection. 每天早上离开车库之前, Celestin does a thorough equipment check and recites his prayers. He has found it important to be prepared and calm on the road, 自从“曾经受挫”, 肯定会有别的事情发生.”
与RTD, Celestin participated in the Multi Agency Exchange (MAX), a leadership program in which 10 people are selected from four cities to share best practices in the public transportation industry. ATU本地1001, 代表塞莱斯廷的联盟, selected him to attend meetings as far away as Washington, D.C. 他的服务精神仍在燃烧, most recently by moderating a panel with the National Black Chamber of Commerce and volunteering with United Way for numerous functions.
Celestin is not the type of man who does things merely to check off boxes. Underneath all his accomplishments is a sincere love practiced daily and rooted in his faith. 塞莱斯廷和他的教会有关系, 达尔斯神父天主教堂, 几十年来,, 自从他来到科罗拉多. 他目前是教区议会的主席, 负责监督各委员会工作, religious education and the daily running of the church. 这是塞莱斯汀和他妻子第一次见面的地方.
刚满64岁, Celestin has shifted his attention more toward Robbyn and “fixing up the home.” He keeps his home like he keeps his bus: in order and impeccably neat.
Somewhere in the house lies a scrapbook that Celestin started years ago to keep track of all that he’s done. He often thinks back to what his father told him, years ago, about his career. Looking back at his own, Celestin reflected, “There comes a time to move on and learn something else. 还有其他的东西,’ more doors open that lead to opportunities to serve my community, 我真的很依赖这些.”
The scrapbook he keeps is large, but it is also unfinished. 塞莱斯汀不知道接下来会发生什么, 但是“不管它是什么,他说, “我渴望一头扎进去.”