Nelsonites, CP Holiday Train help raise $8000 and food for Salvation Army
By Nelson Daily Staff
By Randi Jensen, The Nelson Daily
A little cold weather could not stop hundreds of Nelsonites who came out to welcome the Canadian Pacific Railway Holiday Train as it rolled into Lakeside Park Wednesday night with cheers and celebration.
The Christmas Train, in its 15th year, has raised over $7.4 million dollars and three million pounds of food for North American food banks since its launch in 1999. All donations collected within the community will remain in that community for distribution.
Major Yvonne Burrows from the Salvation Army was presented with a $8000 cheque from CPR’s Aaron Shrieves.
The last time the Holiday Train stopped in Nelson was in 2011, raising $3000 for local food banks.
The CP Holiday Train also had stops in Creston and Castlegar Wednesday.
Chuck Johnson, retired CPR Engineer was caught donating non-perishable goods at the back of one of the two Salvation Army’s cube trucks on site, confessed to being one of the Engineers on the first Holiday Train.
He drove it from Revelstoke to Salmon Arm during its first run in 1999. Back then there were only about five cars that traveled across the country compared to the dozen or so included now.
The crowd was entertained by Juno Award winner, Melanie Doane and performer extraordinaire Matt Dusk singing some contemporary songs and few of the traditional ones like Rudolf the Red-nose Reindeer.
Mayor John Dooley welcomed to the entertainers and crew and was seen afterwards, mingling and enjoying the crowd.
Many kids gleamed onto the hill at the foot of Gordon Avenue and had a great time slipping and sliding as parents looked on.
Each Holiday Train consists of 14 brightly decorated railcars, updated the thousands of LED lights that adorn the sides of both trains with new holiday designs.
All in all, the CP Holiday Train provided a great fun evening for all in this Christmas season.
