DADE COUNTY, Ga. — Along Georgia State Route 301 as it winds over Sand Mountain, one property has become a local landmark thanks to shipping containers that stand like a fence in the front yard. The containers bear the names of some of the world’s largest shipping companies: Maersk, COSCO and “K” Line.
The containers, filled with toys and clothes for the kids of Dade County, have served as the headquarters of the Trenton Santa Train since last year, when the church where the nonprofit operated for four years sold its building.
The train hasn’t slowed down just because it lost its home, said Debbie Manwarren, president of the nonprofit. Last year, the Trenton Santa Train served nearly 250 children and nearly 120 families. Many of those families would not have had gifts or a meal at Christmas otherwise, Manwarren said.
“We’ve had so many parents that will just reach on and grab your neck, just sobbing, ‘My kids wouldn’t have had anything,'” Manwarren said, standing by the containers in her “Conductor” T-shirt. “That’s what makes the difference.”
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