CP Rail Holiday Train supports Kenora’s Christmas Cheer campaign.
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The CP Rail Holiday Train rolled into Kenora’s east rail yard right on time Monday, Dec. 2.
A crowd numbering in the hundreds of local residents young and old was waiting to greet the train on its 2019 tour in support of community food banks across Canada.
“We’re feeling very blessed. Every year we send out the call and the donations come in,” commented Kenora Salvation Army community ministries director Sandra Poole.
Folks arrived with donations of cash and non-perishable items to support the Salvation Army’s local Christmas Cheer and hamper program.
According to Poole, applications to the Kenora Salvation Army’s 2019 Christmas Cheer campaign closed on Friday, Nov.. 29. This year the program received 194 applications from individuals, couples and families for Christmas hampers of food and toys.
“Kenora is such a giving community and every year it humbles me that a community this size can make these miracles happen for us. Without community support, we wouldn’t have a Christmas hamper program,” Poole said.
She expressed her thanks to local groups and supporters; including the 89.5 The Lake’s Miracle Marathon, Kinsmen’s Parade of Lights and the OPP’s Stuff A Cruiser event coming up this Saturday, Dec. 7 at Kenora Safeway, Canadian Tire and Walmart.
Poole joined CP Rail human resources vice president Chad Rolstad on the boxcar stage to accept the company’s a ‘big cheque’ donation of $6,000 for the Salvation Army community food bank and Christmas Cheer campaign.
Since 1999, CP Rail’s annual Holiday Train has collected 4.5 million tons of food and donated $15.8 million to community food banks across Canada.
This year’s musical entertainment program was presented by Canadian Country Music Association Award winning recording artist Madeline Merlo and JUNO Award nominee for 2018 Songwriter of the Year Scott Helman.
Their energetic performances even had special guest Santa Claus doing a jig to stay warm in the mildly chilly afternoon for early December.
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