COMING UP: The model trains have arrived

The South County Railroaders and Santa Cruz Garden Railroaders will host the South County community at its 19th annual Garden Railroad Tour. The requested nonperishable food and monetary donations from visitors will go to two South County food banks.
The Aug. 17 tour will feature 12 backyard garden railroads that boast elaborate gardening, design and trains at homes in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Hollister, Prunedale, Watsonville and Santa Cruz. The tour runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guidebooks with a list of garden railroad locations will be sold at Garden Accents on Lena Avenue in Gilroy and Booksmart on East Second Street in Morgan Hill starting in August.
The South County Railroaders use the annual tour to donate food and money to St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy and the Community Pantry in Hollister.
South County Railroaders member Dale McAnally said the railroaders decided to turn the tour day into a charity event eight years ago because people were already visiting their garden railroads during the tour day and the railroaders wanted to help the community.
Since then, the South County Railroaders have raised thousands of dollars for local charities. McAnally said each year the group donates several thousand dollars in food and cash, which is split between the two organizations.
Vicky Martin, Food Pantry Coordinator at St. Joseph’s Family Center, said the South County Railroaders have been immensely helpful to the food pantry. She mentioned that nonperishable food and money are needed so St. Joseph’s can buy essential perishable foods such as milk, eggs and meat.
“The tour is not only a fun day for families, it promotes community awareness of the hunger issue in our family,” Martin said. “Gilroy in particular is very generous.”
McAnally said visiting the garden railroads is a great way to support local garden railroaders and help the community. “It is unlike anything else they’ve ever seen,” he added. “Kids talk about it for years to come and parents bring their kids back year after year.”
The Bay Area Garden Railroad Society and its member organizations have more than 300 members and 100 garden railroads scattered between Santa Rosa and Monterey. For 25 years, the Bay Area Garden Railroad Society has served local garden railroaders by providing clinics, holding informational meetings, and participating in the national garden railroad conventions.
For more information, contact Dale McAnally by phone at (408) 848-1440 or email at [email protected].