12/02/2025
This year, ReTraining is celebrating 15 successful seasons of giving trains! Today, we would like to share our mission. Years and years ago, Brandon had to run to Walgreens on Christmas eve. He left his parents' house, where there were many friends and family members gathered. The food and gifts were abundant and happiness and joy plentiful. He happened across a couple who was in the toy aisle trying to buy gifts for their child. This couple was debating if they could get their son one Hot Wheels car or two as their whole gift that year. It broke Brandon's heart and he gave them all the cash he had in his wallet to help. But that incident is not unique. It is not commonly talked about, but also not uncommon.
Over the years, Brandon and Jessie tried to find faith and community helping at food pantries and soup kitchens, handing out gifts in poverty-ridden communities. But it just didn't feel personal. Then, on Thanksgiving day in 2015, Brandon realized how he could help more. He drafted an email and pulled his best friend Mikey over to proofread. Mikey was all-in and encouraged Brandon every step of the way. And thus, ReTraining was born!
That first year, Brandon emailed over 100 people looking for donations of any model trains, parts, and accessories. We had only three workshops that year. When asked about it the following year, Brandon said, "This was a personal endeavor that coupled the love I have of model railroading and the feeling that I needed to do something for people who were less fortunate than I was.
With only a month or so notice the first year we were able to gather enough stuff together to give away 11 sets the Tuesday before Christmas to the Angel Tree Foundation. They still had over 65 families that they needed presents for as of that day. They were so excited to get them, the lady was in tears because I told her originally that we might be ale to get her 4-5 sets and we showed up with 11.
This season (2011) we have had a couple of big donations, and are expecting a great deal more after making some great contacts this past weekend at a train show we went to looking for pieces for the sets. Some of the vendors are going to help by supplying $1.00 transformers and sets of track. One guys said that he has at least 60 transformers and will give me the track that goes with as a $1.00 set. If all goes well, we might just have 40 or more sets to give out this year!"
We have lost track over time of just how many sets were given out from year to year, though since 2020, we have given out over 120 sets every year! We have had two articles in the The Times of Northwest Indiana to help share our mission. We have made numerous friends and countless families Christmases! We would love to keep going, but are unable to do this alone. We run solely on donations and volunteer help. We accept donations of model trains, track, accessories, and parts in any gauge. We also accept monetary donations. And if those ideas don't suit you, we also have an Amazon Wish List, which you can purchase items off for Amazon to deliver to us. It can be found here:
