Canadian Pacific announces 2009 Holiday Train campaign for food banks

CALGARY , Oct. 1 /CNW/ - Canadian Pacific's brightly decorated Holiday Train returns to the rails in late November, raising food, money and awareness for food banks across North America . Last year, the Holiday Train helped raise more than $500,000 and 250,000 lbs of food and there is greater need this year.

"Canadian Pacific is proud to support communities where we operate, raising more than $4 million in funds and two million pounds of food in the Holiday Train's first decade," said CP President and CEO Fred Green . "Each year, the Holiday Train's message gets stronger and the impact on our employees and in communities becomes more meaningful."

At each stop, Canadian Pacific provides a brightly decorated train, a box car converted into a stage, great musical talent and a corporate contribution to the local food bank. The community, in turn, rallies together at this free event - donating food and funds, all of which stays in their community.

"Each month, thousands of Canadians are faced with making the very real choice between paying rent or buying food," said Katharine Schmidt , Executive Director of Food Banks Canada . "Canadian Pacific has become an important partner in supporting these families in need."

Food Banks Canada and its members, affiliate members and respective agencies serve approximately 85 percent of food bank clients in Canada and recently confirmed that 20% more Canadians are enlisting the help of food banks compared to a year ago.

The headlining musical talents on the Canadian Holiday Train this year are alternative rock band The Odds and blues-rocker Shaun Verreault. The Odds bring their energy and full voiced harmonies to the Holiday Train stage for the first time. With international hits such as "Someone Who's Cool" and "Love is the Subject", this power pop quartet will be sure to entertain.

"Across North America , wherever there are people who are in need of food, there are communities dedicated to feeding that need" said Verreault. "The Holiday Train helps communities help each other, not just during the holiday season, but year round and I'm honored to help supply the soundtrack to such an inspiring program."

Over 70 Canadian cities, towns and villages will experience the Holiday Train spirit, starting in Montreal on Saturday, November 28 and concluding in Port Moody on Friday, December 18 . In the U.S, a second Holiday Train will visit more than 40 communities including for the first time communities in South Dakota along CP's Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad subsidiary.

Complete schedule details, downloads, pictures and video for the 2009 Holiday Train can be found on www.cpr.ca

About Canadian Pacific:

Canadian Pacific, through the ingenuity of its employees located across Canada and in the United States , remains committed to being the safest, most fluid railway in North America . Our people are the key to delivering innovative transportation solutions to our customers and to ensuring the safe operation of our trains through the more than 1,100 communities where we operate. Come and visit us at www.cpr.ca to see how we can put our ingenuity to work for you. Canadian Pacific is proud to be the official rail freight services provider for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Editors please note: For detailed schedules, musicians' biographies and photos, a route map and downloadable pictures of the train, visit www.cpr.ca and click the Holiday Train icon.

    
    2009 CP Holiday Train Schedule - Canada

    Schedule is subject to change
    All times are local

    Thursday, November 26
    Quebec
    *Kahnawake - 7:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), Mohawk Reserve
    *LaColle - 9:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), CP Train Station, 10 Ste. Marie

    Saturday, November 28
    Quebec
    Montreal - 7 p.m., Places des Vestiges on the Quays of the Old Port,
    across from Jacques-Cartier Pier

    Sunday, November 29
    Quebec
    Beaconsfield - 2:45 p.m., Beaconsfield Commuter Station
    Les Cedres - 4:15 p.m., CP railway crossing at Chemin St. Dominique

    Ontario
    Smiths Falls - 7:15 p.m., Smith Falls Train Station, 63 Victoria St.

    Monday, November 30
    Ontario
    Perth - 10:00 a.m., Wilson St. railway crossing, south side
    Belleville - 1:30 p.m., South Church St. railway crossing, south of
    Dundas St. East
    Trenton - 2:45 p.m., RCAF Road railway crossing, north of the base
    Brighton - 4:00 p.m., East of railway crossing at Prince Edward St.
    Bowmanville - 7:00 p.m., Scugog Road railway crossing
    Oshawa - 8:30 p.m., CP level railway crossing at Thornton Road

    Tuesday, December 1
    Ontario
    Toronto - 6:30 p.m., 87 Ethel Avenue, adjacent to RONA
    *Hamilton - 8:15 p.m. (U.S. Train show), area of Kinnear Yard, opposite
    Gage Park
    Vaughan - 9:00 p.m., Northwest corner of CP Vaughan Intermodal Yard and
    Nashville Road, near grain elevator.

    Wednesday, December 2
    Ontario
    Midhurst - 1:00 p.m., 12 Anne Street North
    Mactier - 3:30 p.m., Old CP Station
    *Cambridge - 4:45 p.m. (U.S. Train show), former Galt Station,
    10 Malcolm St.
    Parry Sound - 5:15 p.m., Museum Train Station, 1 Avenue Road
    *Ayr - 6:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), Railway Crossing at Northumberland
    St.
    Shawanaga - 6:30 p.m., near the Band office, beside the railway crossing
    at Village Road
    *London - 8:30 p.m. (U.S. Train show), Richmond St. railway crossing
    between Oxford St. and Central Ave.
    Sudbury - 9:45 p.m., VIA Train Station, Elgin St.

    Thursday, December 3
    Ontario
    Cartier - 11:15 a.m., CP Train Station, 3 Spence St.
    *Chatham - 12:15 p.m. (U.S. Train show), Mainline behind Wheels Inn
    between Merrit Ave. and Keil Drive
    Chapleau - 5:00 p.m., CP Train Station, 50 Dufferin St.
    *Windsor - 7:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), CP Train Yard, Erie St. W and
    Janette St.
    White River - 9:30 p.m., CP Train Station, 102 Winnipeg St.

    Friday, December 4
    Ontario
    Mobert - 9:15 a.m., across from Band Office
    Heron Bay - 11:30 a.m., old CP Train Station, beside Esso building
    Marathon - 1:00 p.m., beside Curling Club parking lot, Stevens Ave.
    Schreiber - 3:45 p.m., CP Yard at Cenotaph, beside Harvest Food Cupboard
    building
    Nipigon - 6:30 p.m., CP Yard across from Nipigon Inn, 60 Front Street
    Thunder Bay - 9:45 p.m., CP Train Station, 440 Syndicate Ave.

    Saturday, December 5
    Ontario
    Ignace - 11:15 a.m., CP Train Station
    Dryden - 1:45 p.m., CP Yard entrance, Queen St. and Earl Ave.
    Kenora - 5:00 p.m., CP South Yard across from Wholesale Store, 8th Ave.
    South entrance

    Manitoba
    Whitemouth - 8:00 p.m., Railway Ave. across from Whitemouth Hotel

    Sunday, December 6
    Manitoba
    Winnipeg - 2:00 p.m., Molson St., between Panet Road and Munroe Ave.
    Portage La Prairie - 5:00 p.m., 301-3rd St. NE, opposite Centennial Arena
    Minnedosa - 9:15 p.m., west of CP Train Station, South of CP Yard, 30 2nd
    Ave. NW

    Monday, December 7
    Saskatchewan
    Bredenbury - 1:15 p.m. CP Train Station
    Wynyard - 6:15 p.m., CP Train Station

    Tuesday, December 8
    Saskatchewan
    Saskatoon - 11:00 a.m., CP Sutherland Yard, 801 Gray Ave.
    Regina - 6:30 p.m., Taylor Field, stadium parking lot
    Moose Jaw - 8:30 p.m., west of CP Train Station, 3 Manitoba St. West

    Wednesday, December 9
    Saskatchewan
    Swift Current - 12:30 p.m., east of CP Train Station, 3rd St. and North
    Railway Ave.
    Maple Creek - 3:30 p.m., CP TMS Facility on Pacific Avenue

    Alberta
    Medicine Hat - 5:00 p.m., just east of CP Train Station, Queen & North
    Railway St.
    Tilley - 7:15 p.m., Southeast side of crossing at Highway 877
    Brooks - 8:45 p.m., 1st Ave. behind Civic building

    Friday, December 11
    Alberta
    Calgary - 6:00 p.m., 9511 Horton Road SW, gravel parking lot on Horton
    Road behind the Brick and Schanks
    Vulcan - 9:45 p.m., CP railway crossing at 1st Ave. and 2nd St.

    Saturday, December 12
    Alberta
    Lethbridge - 8:30 a.m., 2nd Ave. North and 12th St. behind Save On Foods
    Fort MacLeod - 10:30 a.m., clear of level railway crossing on 5th Ave.
    Pincher Creek - 12:15 p.m., railway crossing just north of Highway 6 on
    Highway 3, next to Husky gas station at Pincher Station
    Coleman - 2:15 p.m., east of railway crossing, south of 17th Ave. between
    69th and 70th St.

    British Columbia
    Sparwood - 4:45 p.m., 367 Pine St., behind Leisure Center
    Fernie - 6:30 p.m., behind CP Train Station, 700 - 1st Ave.
    Cranbrook - 10:15 p.m., 1400 block Theatre Road

    Sunday, December 13
    British Columbia
    Creston - 10:00 a.m., Millennium Park across from Creston RCMP Station
    Castlegar - 4:45 p.m., Heritage Society CP Station Museum, 400 13th Ave.
    Nelson - 7:45 p.m., Railway crossing at Lakeside Park, 1900 Lakeside
    Drive

    Monday, December 14
    British Columbia
    Radium - 6:15 p.m., Railway crossing at Foresters Road
    Golden - 9:30 p.m., across from 7-11, 10th Ave.

    Tuesday, December 15
    British Columbia
    Revelstoke - 3:00 p.m., CP Yard, Victoria Road adjacent to CP parking lot
    Sicamous - 5:15 p.m., northwest corner of Highway 1 at Silver Sand Road
    intersection, east of Draw Bridge
    Salmon Arm - 7:00 p.m., Lordco parking lot, 51 Lake Shore Drive NE
    Notch Hill - 9:00 p.m., Davies Road - Notch Hill Road railway crossing
    across from Notch Hill Hall, 1639 Notch Hill Road

    Wednesday, December 16
    British Columbia
    Chase - 4:15 p.m., north side of Shuswap Ave., across from Chase RCMP
    building
    Kamloops - 7:00 p.m., north side of Interior Savings on Lorne St.

    Thursday, December 17
    British Columbia
    Ashcroft - 2:00 p.m., in area of CP facility on Railway Ave.
    Lytton - 4:45 p.m. in area of CP facility on Station Road
    North Bend - 6:45 p.m., east of CP facility

    Friday, December 18
    Saskatchewan
    *North Portal - 12:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), Town Center
    *Estevan - 5:00 p.m. (U.S. Train show), east of CP Station at vacant
    lot off 7th St.
    *Weyburn - 7:45 p.m. (U.S. Train show), 512 Railway St.

    British Columbia
    Agassiz - 5:15 p.m., west of Highway 9, across from Agra Centre, Pioneer
    Ave.
    Maple Ridge - 7:45 p.m., across from Billy Minor Pub
    Port Moody - 9:30 p.m., on Queen St. at Clark Ave.
    

For further information: Media Contacts: East of Sudbury ON: Michel Spenard, Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs, Canadian Pacific, [phone], [email protected]; Sudbury to the West Coast: Kevin Hrysak, Manager, Media Relations, Canadian Pacific, [phone], [email protected]; Mike LoVecchio, Senior Manager, Media Relations, Canadian Pacific, [phone], [email protected]