‘Holiday Train’ Launches Cross-Border Food Banks Fundraiser

Lit up brighter than any Christmas tree, two specially decorated freight trains have hit the tracks with a mission to raise money for food banks in Canada and the United States.

For the 12th year, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will journey across both countries, making stops in six Canadian provinces and eight U.S. states in the Midwest and Northeast.

“The Holiday Train’s mandate remains strong and that is to help tackle hunger, regardless of borders or size of community,” said CP president and CEO Fred Green.

“At this critical time of year, CP employees and thousands of volunteers in Canada and the United States are again joining together in helping those less fortunate.”

CP workers volunteer for the special fundraiser every year, with many giving up their vacations to work on the trains—from assembly to operations. The trains, both of which have 14 rail cars festooned with hundreds of thousands of festive lights, are assembled and decorated by CP employees in Montreal, Smith Falls, and Calgary.

Residents in about 140 cities and towns on both sides of the border will have the opportunity to donate, with all food and money raised at each stop staying in each community for local distribution.

Crowds will be entertained with live music along the way, as each train comes with a modified box car that acts as a travelling stage. Among the performers on the Canadian side are the alt-rock band the Odds and the Brothers Dube, a youth band that plays charity events and fundraisers for children’s causes.

The two bands, along with Colin James, the Barenaked Ladies, and blues-rock band Big Sugar, among others, have collaborated on a CD of Christmas songs called “Holiday Train Tracks.”

All proceeds from the CD, which is available for download online through iTunes and cdbaby.com, will go to support food banks in Canada and the U.S. Hard copies can be purchased at www.cpr.ca.

Performers on the U.S. Holiday Train include Juno Award winner Melanie Doane and rising star Kelly Prescott.

Since 1999, the Holiday Train program has raised $4.8 million and generated almost 590,000 kilos of food donations for local food banks, according to CP’s website.

“With our ‘HungerCount 2010’ survey showing a 9.2 percent increase in Canadians turning to their local food shelves in 2010 compared to 2009, the CP Holiday Train is a unique and creative program that gives people an opportunity to support their local food banks,” said Katharine Schmidt, executive director of Food Banks Canada.

The Holiday Train is on Facebook and Twitter at CPHolidaytrain. For more information or to view schedules visit www.cpr.ca.