I Am Not a Child! (a story of Kid’s Corner!)

e*Train Issue: Dec 2022 | Posted in: TCA Adventures

I’M NOT A CHILD!

By Clem Clement, Past President, TCA#64‐987 Winter 2023 e*Train

I came to York with my Mom and Dad. My Dad loves trains and seems to not have so many troubles on his mind when he is here. I’m happy when he smiles and looks happy. Mom and I walk around and enjoy each other’s company. We went to get me a soda when we found the Kids Korner @ York.

Mom left me sitting on a chair out side the yellow ribbons. I’m OK and feel safe and I can watch every thing. And such glorious things are happening in side the ropes that it makes me smile all the time. I wish I was a kid so I could play. Mom says I’m special. Dad says so too. I think I’m normal and special. but they say I have special challenges. My arms and legs sometimes don’t want to do what I want them to do, but it is all right with me. I hear big words about my situation starting with A or M, but mom says they are OK. I know I’m loved and I really like it here sitting outside the Kids Korner all by myself. And nobody is laughing at me. I feel so big to be able to be here all by myself while Mom does some shopping and relaxing. Some big people are really little. I’m big people.

The Brio Lady came over to ask me if I was OK and would I like to come in and play with the trains. I said no. I’m 25 and not a child. She was nice to ask me, but I’m too old to play, plus I’m a girl and girls don’t play with trains. Mom came back and checked on me- isn’t she nice. She was so happy to see that I was enjoying myself. Gosh, I’ve been here almost 2 hours just watching. This is a wonderful place.

Uncle Clem came over to see if I was OK and I said yes. I’m happy just watching every move the kids make. I could just live here. Why do big people always check on me? I’m not a child. (It is nice to be checked on though.)

A little boy was inside the ropes and needed help with the train he was playing with. The big people were not watching, but I was. I worked up my courage and I reached under the yellow ropes and helped the boy, because I’m not a child. I’m still shaking but I’m glad I helped. The big people never noticed the nice thing I did for the little boy (or did they- Uncle Clem seemed to get something in his eye about that time.) I’m glad there is a place for me at the Kids Korner @ York.

Shop Amazon and Help TCA

TCA members who shop at Amazon.com can have each of their normal purchases generate a modest payment to TCA! And it won’t cost you anything!

The Train Collectors Association is now a participant with AmazonSmile, which is a special website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.

The difference is that when customers shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers.

The process is simple. Just search for and select Train Collectors Association when you sign up and shop at smile.amazon.com.

You use your regular Amazon.com username and password, but when you log in to smile.amazon.com, you’ll see that you are supporting TCA with your purchases:

Note that if you just log in to the regular amazon.com, this benefit does not operate.

There are no costs to either you or TCA, but TCA benefits!

This is a great way for TCA to earn extra cash to offset costs, so sign up today to help support TCA.

* Note: TCA is not a party to any of your Amazon transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors.

Helping TCA with your ebay purchases when you use PayPal

If you’re an ebay user and have a PayPal account you use to make payments, you can designate a donation for TCA when you’re checking out — any amount, small or large.
If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can pre-designate a percentage of your sales to be donated automatically in your name to TCA as long as the purchaser pays with their PayPal account.

In both cases, you will receive a donation receipt from the PayPal Giving Fund, and enjoy applicable tax advantages.

How to do it:

Click on the image above, or use this link. This will take you to ebay, where you will see the following page (log in to ebay if you are not already):

This offers TCA as an option. Click on the “Add to My Charities” button where indicated with the red arrow. Thereafter, when you make a purchase, at checkout you will be offered the option to make a donation to TCA in any amount of your choosing. Small amounts add up, larger ones are great! It’s always up to you!

The option will appear at the lower part of your checkout page, something like this:

If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can allocate a portion of your sales proceeds to be donated to TCA. Look at the green arrow marked “Optional” above to see how to do it. Details on how ebay calculates the donation may be read here. This is a wonderful way to share the financial benefits of your hobby with the organization that promotes it!

An added benefit to TCA is that these donations are not subject to normal processing fees, so that makes your donation work harder!

* Note. TCA is not a party to any of your eBay transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors. PayPal issues the receipts to you for your donation, not TCA.

I Am Not a Child! (a story of Kid’s Corner!)

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