Chugging along to fight hunger
Canadian Pacific Railway’s (CP) Holiday Train is once again on track to raise awareness — and funds—for food banks across the United States and Canada.
Since 1999, two special trains — one in the U.S. and one in Canada — have travelled the tracks during the holiday season. Started as an employee initiative, last year thousands of people celebrated with the Holiday Train, raising more than $1.2 million and 250,000 pounds of food for food banks along its route.
The trains chug across the United States and Canada raising money and food for local food banks and helping increase awareness of hunger issues. They travel roughly 10,000 kilometres each year, last year visiting 180 communities.
Jeremy Berry, CP spokesperson, says everyone is looking forward to this year’s Holiday Train, especially Canadians. “It is with great anticipation that we look forward to the 19th version of the CP Holiday Train. Since 1999, the Holiday Train program has raised more than $13 million and four million pounds of food for local food banks. We look forward to seeing everyone out in December, as we conclude our Canada 150 celebrations while raising important funds for food banks this holiday season,” Berry says.
Each Holiday Train is about 1,000 feet long, and is made up of 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of technology-leading LED lights and holiday designs. Each has one modified boxcar that has been transformed into a travelling stage for performers. The concerts are free, but attendees are encouraged to make a donation to the food bank — either a non-perishable food item or a cash donation. Everything raised in each community stays in that community, and CP also makes donations at each stop.
This year, the Holiday Train will stop in Minot on Thurs. Dec. 14 at the Main Street crossing. The train is expected to arrive at 6:30 p.m., with the entertainment taking place from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. This year, attendees can look forward to performance by Terri Clark, Dallas Smith and Kelly Prescott.
Don’t forget your camera! If you’re visiting the Holiday Train this year, CP encourages you to take photos and enter the Capture the Spirit photo contest. You could win a trip for four aboard the 2018 CP Holiday Train as well as a $1,000 donation to your local food bank. Additional details about the contest will be available closer to the start of the program. In the meantime, visit http://www.cpr.ca/holidaytrain/photo-contest.
It’s the Christmas spirit and the sense of community all wrapped up into a heart-warming bundle of Yuletide joy. Santa may have to trade in his reindeer and take the train!