CALGARY, Dec. 3, 2013 /CNW/ - The 2013 CP Holiday Train's
journey in support of food banks is now well into its Western
Canadian portion of this year's three-week trek.
Since November 25th, the 15th
annual Holiday Train has been raising money, food, and awareness
for local food banks in over 30 Canadian communities, featuring
Crystal Shawanda, Jim Cuddy, and Melanie
Doan. Canadian country music stars Doc Walker joined the Holiday Train in
Winnipeg.
At the same time the Holiday Train is travelling through
Canada, a second
brightly-decorated train is rolling across the United States with the same mission of
helping local food banks in the fight against hunger in their
neighbourhoods.
Each Holiday Train consists of 14 brightly decorated railcars,
including a modified boxcar that has been turned into a traveling
stage for performers. They're each decorated with hundreds of
thousands of technology-leading LED lights and holiday designs. For
the 15th year, CP's elves have updated the lighting that adorns the
sides of the two trains that are part of the Holiday Train
program.
CP asks that attendees bring a non-perishable food or cash
donation. All donations stay with the food bank in the community
where they're donated. Items like infant formula, canned meats, and
spaghetti sauce are in particular demand.
In addition to raising money and food for local food banks,
Canadian Pacific will match all donations to the Breakfast Club of
Canada during this year's Holiday
Train journey. People are encouraged to go to
www.breakfastclubcanada.org to make a donation that CP in turn will
match dollar-for-dollar. This matching program is above and beyond
the donations made to community food shelves at each stop. As well,
at the Hamilton Holiday Train show on November 30, CP presented the organization with a
cheque for $100,000 as further
support.
For additional information, photos, a route map,
and downloadable pictures of the two trains, visit: www.cpr.ca.
Supporters can also join the Holiday Train on Facebook and
follow the two trains on Twitter @CPHolidaytrain
#CPHolidayTrain.
Broadcast b-roll available at:
http://www.cpr.ca/en/in-your-community/holiday-train/Pages/media.aspx
SOURCE Canadian Pacific
Image with caption: "Holiday Train (CNW Group/Canadian
Pacific)". Image available at:
http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131203_C7266_PHOTO_EN_34284.jpg