Collecting is a habit for Sisters man

Part of Tom Anderson's railroad collection on display now at Comfort Inn. photo by Jim Mitchell Tom and Mabel Anderson, managers of the Comfort Inn in Sisters, have been collecting for longer than they have been married -- over 35 years. Much of their collecting falls into the holiday mode and they would like to share with the public.

Mabel started collecting teddy bears before she and Tom were married. She now has about 350 bears -- traditional teddies, wooden bears, and ceramics. Many of the bears line a three-walled shelf overlooking the office area at the motel.

Her 500-piece Christmas candle collection started out as stocking stuffers before they were married and "It grew from there," she said.

Keeping it in the family, their daughter, a student at a veterinary school in Vancouver, B.C., collects nutcrackers.

The Andersons say they have collected, "from Alaska to Florida to Tahiti and back."

Tom has two passions: Santa Claus and model railroading. His Santa collection, again over 500 pieces, consists of ceramic and wooden figurines, carvings -- anything relating directly to Santa Claus, even a Santa rug made by Mabel.

But his most impressive collection is his model railroad.

Tom proudly describes each piece of his railroad layout. He and Mabel have shopped and generally kept their eyes open for pieces to add to his collection. Tom says, "It's something I like to do. It's fun."

Anderson has added many items of his own making. He said he took a ceramics class some years ago and has continued to use the skills he learned to fashion buildings and figurines for his train set. He has village sets, skating rinks, a ski slope (with operating skiers), a football field, a "Sisters Set" and much more.

His first train layout, in 1973, covered a fold-up card table. Mabel says, "It's grown some." It now covers close to half of the floor space in the meeting room at the Comfort Inn. Nearby is a Christmas tree blanketed with ornaments and Mabel's candle collection.

Anderson says of his train set, "It is not a collection of Department 56. It isn't Hawthorne Village. It's anything we like -- an eclectic mix of everything -- handmade stuff, gifts, and hand-me-downs."

The Andersons arrived in Sisters in 1997, after living in British Columbia, Canada. Tom worked in public administration for 25 years. He started as a policeman, then hired and trained policemen and firemen, then worked in administration.

Suffering administrative burn-out, Tom was offered a management position with the new Comfort Inn in Sisters. He declined, saying, "Talk to me in a year after my daughter finishes high school in Canada."

A year later the owner said, "Give me a number," Tom said, "And I did and he accepted. So I retired and we came here."

The Andersons will hold an open-house display Monday through Friday, 7 to 9 p.m. and Sundays, 2 to 6 p.m.

The display will be free, but Tom said, "If anyone wants, they can donate to the Food Bank." Non-perishable food and cash donations will be accepted.

The Andersons want to share their collections.

Tom says, "Everybody should be able to enjoy it, not just me."