Elizabethtown townlively.com
NOVEMBER 27, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXV • NO 42
I “ will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 7:17
All aboard for Christmas magic in miniature BY CATHY MOLITORIS
BY CATHY MOLITORIS
T
that stations of the past had a hose customers would drive over, ringing a bell to signify their presence, so a tiny hose was added to the display. The club formed in 1997, and it currently includes about 60 members. “It’s split almost 50/50 down the middle, with half of the club members being residents here at Masonic Village and half residents from the surrounding community,” Monti remarked. It’s open to men and women
The phrase “happy holidays” can be heard everywhere in the weeks leading up to the new year, but for some people, this season is anything but merry. Jeri Culbertson, the owner of Naturally Gifted by Jeri in Elizabethtown, wants to help. She will host a series of grief support groups in December. “Speak Your Peace: A Sanctuary of Solace for the Healing Heart” will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sundays, Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22, with the possible addition of Dec. 29 if there is enough interest. The sessions will be offered free of charge at Naturally Gifted by Jeri, 1 Market St., Suite 103. A freewill offering will be accepted to cover the cost of refreshments and supplies. “I want people to know that it’s OK to not be OK,” Culbertson said. “I want to provide people with some tools to help them cope with grief, stress and other triggers that happen for some people during the holidays.” She will guide participants through breathing exercises and meditation and provide a comforting presence. “I can’t fix everything, but just knowing someone is there
See All aboard pg 3
See Comfort pg 6
Inviting people to an open house are (from left) Bill Fishel and John Monti.
operating.” The display features the small Z-scale - so tiny it fits as a display within the display - to the largest Standard scale. Scenes feature towns, seasonal activities, local landmarks and more. A new Masonic Lodge has recently been added, with a group of Masons posed in front of the building. Each man wears a tiny Mason apron, hand-painted by Monti to reflect what Masons wear at their meetings.
When Monti joined the club, he thought he’d focus on construction and electrical aspects of the display. Instead, he’s discovered he loves contributing to the scenery and painting. “I’ll also source materials,” he shared, noting that pieces come from all over the world, including Canada, Vietnam and Hungary. He points out that the display is truly a team effort. When installing a new period-specific gas station, for example, Fishel recalled
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alk about attention to detail. Visit the Masonic Village & Elizabethtown Model Railroad Club, and you’ll see firsthand the hours of work and passion the members have put into the tiniest details of the expansive train display. From hand-painted signs to period-specific materials, the exhibit brings the past to life, all in miniature. The club will host holiday open houses from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Dec. 7, 14 and 21, as well as from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. “What we’ve been doing over the last six years or so is getting rid of the toy aspect and bringing things into scale, so everything is more realistic,” said club president John Monti. “People don’t realize how long it takes to do some of this and the level of detail we put in.” One recent section the group worked on required more than 300 hours to complete, he said. The layout fills multiple rooms in the building on Freemason Drive on the campus of Masonic Village in Elizabethtown. “One thing that is unique about our club is most clubs only run one gauge of trains,” said Bill Fishel, club treasurer. “When we host an open house, we have seven different gauges of trains
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Finding comfort during the holidays