26 November 2010

Spirit of the CP Holiday Train Shines Brightly for 12th Year

Calgary Alberta - North America's longest-running food bank fundraiser begins its unique trek across Canada as well as the U.S. Midwest and Northeast this weekend in its cross-border mission to feed our communities.
 
For the 12th year, two specially decorated freight trains will launch their unique journeys across six Canadian provinces and eight U.S. states:  The U.S. Holiday Train on Friday, 26 Nov 2010 while the Canadian "train of lights" will begin its cross-country trek on Saturday, 27 Nov 2010, from Beaconsfield, Quebec.
 
"The Holiday Train's mandate remains strong and that is to help tackle hunger, regardless of borders or size of community," said Fred Green, President and CEO of Canadian Pacific. "At this critical time of year, CP employees and thousands of volunteers in Canada and the United States are again joining together in helping those less fortunate."
 
Residents in about 140 cities and towns on both sides of the border will be able to join the Holiday Train spirit and magic, with all food and money raised at each stop staying in that community for local distribution.
 
Each Holiday Train has 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of festive lights. Included is a modified box car that has been turned into a traveling stage for performers. The two trains are assembled and decorated by CP employees in Montreal, Smith Falls, and Calgary.
 
Since 1999, the CP Holiday Train program has raised $4.8 million and generated almost 2.3 million pounds of food donations for local food shelves.
 
"With our Hunger Count 2010 survey showing a 9.2 percent increase in Canadians turning to their local food shelves in 2010 compared to 2009, the CP Holiday Train is a unique and creative program that gives people an opportunity to support their local food banks," said Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director of Food Banks Canada.
 
Performing the spirit of the season from a specially designed stage on the Canadian Holiday Train is one of Canada's most versatile bands, The Odds. Joining The Odds in Quebec and Smiths Falls, Ontario, is the musical sensation, Brothers Dube. Leading the musical message on the U.S. Holiday Train is Melanie Doane with rising star Kelly Prescott joining the train for several shows, as well. Visit the Holiday Train page for their bios and photos.
 
The 2010 CP Holiday Train schedule is available at www.cpr.ca, a website that more than 150,000 visitors check out each holiday season to get the latest updates and mark their calendars for the train stop nearest them. Follow both Holiday Trains on CP's website with daily blog updates. People can join the Holiday Train on Facebook and follow the spirit of one of the longest-running cross-country food bank fundraisers on Twitter at cpHolidayTrain.