The residents at Emerald Heights, a Type A life care community, spend their free time volunteering at outside organizations and giving back to their own community.

Five residents, Joe Sommer, Bill Furrer, John Bailey, Bob Brett and Dieter Matthes, are repaving a section of The Garden Railway, a structure at the community that is maintained and built solely by the residents of Emerald Heights. The trains are run regularly for all residents and their families and friends.

This year, Emerald Heights will celebrate The Garden Railway’s 10th anniversary. The miniature train had its first run Oct. 22, 2004. The Garden Railway consists of 275 feet of track, six bridges and trestles, a mountain and 45 buildings.