The CP Holiday Train once again rolled through the Shuswap, bringing with it festive entertainment and support for local food banks.
Sicamous was the first stop in the region for the brightly decorated passenger train on Thursday evening, Dec. 15. Among those onboard were CP staff, local politicians and Canadian musicians Mackenzie Porter and Virginia to Vegas, aka Derik Baker. At the Silver Sands Road intersection, the waiting crowd was treated to performances by Porter and Baker, interspersed with a cheque presentation – a $5,500 donation from CP to the Eagle Valley Community Support Society. Accepting the cheque were Mayor Colleen Anderson, Councillor and longtime support society member Pam Beech, Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo and North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold.
Next up was a later-than-expected stop in Canoe, where a large crowd was kept busy with a holiday market, an outdoor ball hockey rink and a fireworks display. Once again there was a mid-concert cheque presentation. Joining CP staff onstage was Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison and the Salvation Army’s Jennifer Gilfillan, who were presented a cheque for $3,300 for the Salvation Army’s cafe/warming centre.
After Canoe, the Holiday Train made stops in downtown Salmon Arm, where a CP donation of $7,000 went to the Salvation Army Lighthouse and, at Notch Hill, where money was donated to the Sorrento Food Bank.
The Holiday Train was scheduled to stop in Chase Friday afternoon for a concert/presentation, before carrying on to other B.C. communities along the tracks en route to the Lower Mainland.
In addition to CP’s donations, public donations of food and funds were made at each of the local Holiday Train stops.
newsroom@saobserver.net
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