Canadian Pacific Railway’s (CP) Holiday Train has reached the Kootenays.

The colourfully decorated train, travelling with legendary Canadian folk musician Valdy, as well as Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame entrant Tracey Brown and Brothers Dube’ from Ottawa, is making 140 stops across Canada, raising funds and food for food banks along the way.

The 13th annual running of the train began November 27 with its first stop in Beaconsfield, Quebec, and concludes Dec. 17at Port Moody.

The train stopped in Sparwood, Fernie and Cranbrook yesterday (Dec. 11), meaning much-needed financial help and food-stuff donations for the food banks in each town. A cheque for $4,000 was presented last night to the Cranbrook Food Bank.

Since the program’s inception back in 1999, more than $5.6 million and over 2.45 million pounds of food has been collected in Canada and the United States.

The goal of the Holiday Train is to collect food and money for local food banks and to raise awareness in the fight against hunger. At each event, the Holiday Train provides a box car stage, a lineup of musical talent and a corporate contribution to the local food bank. The community, in turn, is encouraged to donate food and funds, all of which stays in the community.

The train is touring through the Central Kootenay today (Dec. 12), with stops in Creston, Castlegar and Nelson.

Tomorrow it returns to the East Kootenay for a 6 p.m. stop at Radium Hot Springs (the crossing at Forster’s Landing Road) and at 9:15 p.m. in Golden (across from the 7-11).

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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