Dress warmly, take your own chair and cash or non-perishable food donations to the Lordco parking lot at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15 for a holiday tradition.
The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is well on its way for the 16th year in a row. The brightly lit train left Montreal Nov. 26 and will make stops in several Shuswap communities, including Sicamous at 4:45 p.m., Salmon Arm at 6:30 and Notch Hill at 8 p.m.
CP Rail organizers are aiming to generate healthier donations this year as the train makes its way across North America raising food, money and awareness for local food banks and food shelves.
The local need right now is protein such as canned fish, meat or pork and beans.
CP’s goal is to have 20,000 people take an online pledge to underscore how important it is that everyone has access to nutritious food.
Each Holiday Train event features performances by professional musicians including the pop rock band Odds, Roxanne Potvin, Tracey Brown and Jim Cuddy (of Blue Rodeo fame) on the Canadian tour. There’s no charge to attend a Holiday Train show, but patrons are asked to take a cash or non-perishable food donation. All money and food raised in a community stays there to help those in need locally.
The Salmon Arm Masonic Lodge will serve hot food and beverages such as hot dogs, apple pies, apple cider and hot chocolate, all available by donation to the Salvation Army.
There will also be carol singing, free glow sticks for the kids and firefighters will provide burn barrels to keep participants warm.