Model RR Clubs

[brakie]

Guys,Thanks for your kindness and offer to help.The club membership is in the process of giving this family a good Christmas.We have well over $500.00 collected from donations from the membership not including Athearn car kits and other toys for his brothers and sisters.This young lad has been a member of our club for 7 months and we have more or less taken him under our wings...

Again thank you for your kindness and offer to help.The lady members of the club will go tonight and give the gifts and money to his mother-all except the Conrail engine he always wanted a GP38-2. He will get 2 of those Sunday at the club in the numbers he always wanted 8188 and 8244 as well as the car kits and KD couplers.
My boss at the shop donated the second Athearn GP38-2 and 1 pack of 38s for the engines..

 

[Clerk]

Pleeeze count my in. The wife and I are on low income but will be glad to help his family.

 

[eightyeightfan1]

Whats the address?

 

[jon-monon]

You guys are awesome, brakie.

 

[spitfire]

Brakie what a wonderful story. That is really the true spirit of Christmas. Good for you and everyone involved!

cheers
Val

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Way to go Brakie!

 

[Vic]

Hi Brakie, Christmas just doesn't get any better than that! Kindness shown is never forgotten. You and the members of your club are a GREAT bunch of folks. Wish them all a "Merry One" from me!

 

[Bill Stone]

That's a terrific thing your club is doing, Brakie.

If it does happen that you could use some more $, please let us know --- and count me in too.

Your club, by the way, is the nicest I've heard of.

I've never been much of a joiner, but over the years I've been invited to meetings at three different clubs (one in Oregon, one in Colorado, and one here in California.) My experience at each left me with absolutely no desire to join. (I did have one nice experience: At the club in Oregon [in the 60's] I met the legendary Jack Work, and came away from that having even more respect for his craftsmanship.)

My guess is that if I lived in Brakie's area, his club would change my mind about being a joiner.

Bill S

 

[pcentral]

Brakie your club is awesome. My hats off to your club. I got a little choked up at Jons offer and your response just about knocked me over. I started a new job this year and now make twice what I used to which was not much over poverty level. We used to live check to check, so I know how hard it can be this time of year. Although I am far from being well off I am looking to help somebody's christmas be a little better. We are going to find a needy family here in town. Hope everyone has a great Xmas and if you can, please help out someone in need. Steve

 

[jon-monon]

Heya Brakie, how would they like to be bombarded with nice Christmas card from all over the US and even other parts of the planet? I would be happy to send a card. I could send it to you if you want them to remain anonymouse. International card would come in late this year, but next year they would probably come in early.

You know I was thinkin about this thread, the gauge, this morning. I realized, I think this is the only board I've been on where everyone really, really gets along well. There's no name here I don't like to see. Problems are discussed and worked out. Very little moderation is required, and it is handled very professionally. Everyone treats others with respect. Nobody is really anoying. Oops, that's probably me. Never mind. This is getting too mushy anyway.

 

[spitfire]

Jon, you are so right! I look forward each day to checking in with all my friends at the Gauge - and a nicer, more helpful group of people you could never hope to find. There is such a wealth of talent and experience here, and a lot of humour and fun too. No one has an axe to grind, no one sits in judgement of others skills. I started off with the Atlas forum, and not to put them down since it probably suits its members quite well, I found it dull and dry (and probably somewhat over my head).

Then I discovered the Gauge. The very first time I got an email telling me that someone had responded to my first post, I was hooked. That aspect alone makes it so much more involving, then add the friendly upbeat tone of the members and well, it's just the greatest! And I like that we can stray a little bit from model RR's every once in a while. We never seem to stray too far, and like you say, very little moderating needs to be done.

I'm not putting this very well. What I'm trying to say is that we have something really special going on here. You folks are the greatest!!!!!!!!!

cheers
Val

 

[jon-monon]

You said it perfectly, Val, and you are a major contributor here!

 

[Clerk]

Val. I am not very vocal and have trouble putting my thoughts into words. I thank you for that contribution.

Also I agree with Jon

 

[Matthyro]

No RR clubs where I live. I could drive for 1/2 hour and reach some but so far have decided not to.
I like your idea Val as a number of us do live in the Toronto area.
Maybe sometime we could arrange to visit each others railroads.
When they get built of course.
I ve had the pleasure of meeting Clerk, David from the Platelayers
and one other that I met through websites, Dave in Abbotsford
It is really neat to meet some in person.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

To the previous comments all I can say is AMEN !

 

[Clerk]

I am in the same predicoment(spelling) as Robin. No RR club in my area that I know of. The nearest is in Sacramento, about 40 miles from here. Anyway, I prefere to work alone. That way there is no argument with any body except myself. My wife never argues with me about working on my layout.

 

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Matthyro

I like your idea Val as a number of us do live in the Toronto area.
Maybe sometime we could arrange to visit each others railroads.
When they get built of course.

Great Robin! What are you doing 10 years from Friday? I should be finished by then!

cheers
Val

 

[sumpter250]

As an active member of a "club", I know exactly what goes on! If there are only two people left on the earth, one will want to rule the other. That's human nature, and if you want to be a member of any organization, you have to be able to deal with it.
Which is why I have been part of the modular group for the last fifteen years. No "officers". No "meetings". No "rules". No "dues". Just build a module, and when there's a show,, bring the module, and have fun! Add to that, "the gauge", and with all the fun of those two, the club is tolerable!
Pete

 

[kettlestack]

Brakie ... you started it.
Jon......... You expounded on it.
The response from the other members showed what I always felt was the The Gauge member's fundamental character. Kind, understanding and compassionate!!
Truth be told, I was loosing faith in the Christmas spirit, but you guys have just made my Christmas. How can I thank you for that?????????

It's such a pity I read this so close to Christmas as snail-mail from UK would make any offer of mine arrive too late for the occasion . It wouldn't be charity but a genuine feeling of wanting to do some good in this life and bring a bit of happiness to someone.

Errol

 

[eightyeightfan1]

Uhhh...Whats the address?