On its 25th annual cross Canada tour, the CPKC Holiday Train delivered not only festive cheer, but also significant donations to local food banks.
Kicking off the Shuswap track, the Christmas lit locomotive rolled into Sicamous just after 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15 with a $5,500 cheque from CPKC for the Eagle Valley Community Support Society (EVCSS), which administers the food bank.
“Congratulations on 25 years of doing this and connecting the nation,” Coun. Pam Beech.
EVCSS president said as one of the dignitaries accepting the cheque. “It’s beautiful, thank you to CP.”
Also in attendance was Mayor Colleen Anderson, MP Mel Arnold and MLA Greg Kyllo, with each addressing the large crowd gathered trackside. While acknowleding the CPKC donation, they also thanked the public their contributions of food bank items that were also accepted during the event.
In addition to the charitable component of the train, it also entertained with performances by Canadian recording artists Kiesza, who has a family cabin in the Shuswap, and Tyler Shaw on his first – but not last, he said – visit to Sicamous. Their high energy sets had the crowd dancing and singing along, with a few lucky ones in the front row getting high fives.
After the half hour show, the train wended its way west, with a stop in Canoe before landing in Salmon Arm, where CPKC gave a $7,000 donation to the Salvation Army food bank, before ending the evening in Notch Hill.
Additional information on the CPKC Holiday Train and this initiative can be found online at www.cpkcr.com.
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