Six special kids squealed with delight as they shared the thrills of model railroads and classic cars at a July 27 benefit for Green Pastures home for disabled children, given at Montebello Ridge Garden Railway Museum in Los Altos.
Members of the Horseless Carriage Club of America, Santa Cruz Chapter, joined the Museum’s railroaders for the fund raiser for Mountain View-based Green Pastures, which provides round-the-clock care in a home setting for up to six physically and developmentally disabled children.
The fund raiser was the idea of resident Fred Vertel, who, with his son Tom, conceived, constructed and landscaped the Montebello Ridge museum over the last 11 years. The result is a model railroader’s dream with period trains running on 1,000 feet of track over streams and through mountains, in the Vertel’s spacious back yard. The Vertels created special large push buttons so Green Pastures’ children could share in the fun of operating the trains, pushing switches and blowing whistles.
“The kids are really turned on by trains but they need the kinds of controls that allow them to participate,” Vertel said.
Fred Vertel got involved with Green Pastures when three of his children began volunteering there through their classes at Saint Francis High School, and through a college friend, a nun, who worked at the home.
Vertel got involved in railroading following the death of his wife Louise nearly 12 years ago. “Back problems slowed me down too, but I needed something to do so I turned to a hobby of my youth,” he said.
The Vertels’ extensive railroad collection includes a half-scale 4-4-0 American-type locomotive named for Louise. The locomotive has a short run within a half-scale 19th century diorama complete with a long cabin station and operable water tank.
Green Pastures has an ongoing need for funds and volunteers. It is located at 730 Cornelia Court in Mountain View.
For more information, call 965-2333.
