South County residents are invited to an enjoyable event that
happens only once a year. On Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 11
members of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society in Gilroy, Morgan
Hill, Hollister and Prunedale will open their yards for public
viewing of their gardens and model railroad layouts.
South County residents are invited to an enjoyable event that happens only once a year. On Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 11 members of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Hollister and Prunedale will open their yards for public viewing of their gardens and model railroad layouts.
This hobby has become so popular that the Bay Area organization, formed in 1988 with 30 charter members and 15 exhibits, has grown to more than 300 members and 100 layouts.
The South County event began about 15 years ago when garden railroaders set aside a day each year to invite friends and neighbors to tour their facilities. Five years ago they decided to open it to interested members of the public.
Each visitor was invited to bring a nonperishable food item, and the collected food was donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Since then, the donations have been given directly to the area’s two local agencies dedicated to helping the needy. Last year, when nearly 400 people visited the displays, the result was three large truckloads of food, plus some monetary donations.
One recipient is Gilroy’s St. Joseph’s Family Center, an agency created by local churches and generously supported by the community. This nonprofit organization offers many important emergency services:
– Food assistance pantry
– Brown bag lunch program
– Hot meals program for the homeless
– Employment service program
– Emergency rental, utility and transportation assistance
– Senior hot meals program
– Senior shuttle service
The other recipient is Hollister’s Community Pantry, a self-help food program for low-income families. This agency distributes food to local charities serving the needy, and provides nutritional education and advocacy for the poor. Currently they provide approximately 90,000 meals each month.
Dale McAnally, one of the event’s organizers, invites residents to this “wonderful family event, a really different kind of food drive.” Visitors will enjoy a full day of entertainment while helping the neediest in our communities.
“Now is a particularly difficult time of year for the St. Joseph’s Family Center and community pantry organizations,” McAnally said. “Donations peak during the holiday season, but summer is when kids are out of school with no access to the free school lunch programs and really need our help. With the economy so bad this year, it is especially difficult.”
To visit these 11 model railroads “running through some of the most unusual backyards in our area,” bring a nonperishable item – canned goods, pasta, cereal – or a check in any amount made out to “St. Joseph’s Family Center” or “Community Pantry” to one of the following locations:
– All Aboard Junction Store, 8355 Monterey St., Gilroy
– Garden Accents, 11155 Lena Ave., Gilroy
– BookSmart, 80 E. Second St., Morgan Hill
– San Juan Model Railroaders at Bolado Park, Hollister
When you make your donation, you will be given a guidebook showing the location and details of each display.
For more information, contact Dale McAnally at (408) 848-1440 or
da**********@ve*****.net
. You may also visit www.bagrs.org/fooddrive.
