CPKC Holiday Train Set to Visit Merrickville & Smiths Falls November 28th

Merrickville – The 26th annual CPKC Holiday Train is visiting Eastern Ontario including Merrickville and Smiths Falls on Thursday, November 28th.

The 2024 CPKC Holiday Train will tour Canada and the U.S. from Nov. 21 through Dec. 20, raising money, food and awareness to support food banks across their network. Professional musicians play free concerts from the brightly decorated train’s stage. CPKC will donate to the local food bank at each stop and encourages all attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation.

The Holiday Train unites people in the spirit of the season as it travels across Canada and the United States while generating critical support for our neighbours in need through the program’s support of local food banks,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We are pleased to again send this magical train on a four-week trip across our network spreading holiday joy as we collect food and raise money to fight food insecurity. We look forward to again seeing all the smiles and cheers from people young and old coming together in the spirit of giving.”

Since its inaugural journey in 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has raised more than $24.3 million and collected approximately 5.3 million pounds of food for community food banks in Canada and the U.S. to help people struggling with food insecurity.

“With your help, we can continue to raise food, money and awareness for people facing hunger issues across North America,” said CPKC

The brightly lit train will stop at the East Broadway and County Road 2 tracks in Merrickville from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm and in Smiths Falls at the train station at 63 Victoria Ave from 6:30 to 7:00 pm, spreading Christmas cheer and FREE live entertainment.

This year the entertainment will be by the talented Tyler Shaw and Shawnee Kish.

Locally the CPKC Holiday Train will assist the Rideau Community Health Services (RCHS) Food Cupboard program – Merrickville site, the House of Lazarus in Mountain, and the South Grenville Food Bank (covering Townships of Augusta, Edwardsburg – Cardinal and the Town of Prescott) meet the ever-increasing demands of food insecurity in our communities.

If you would like to volunteer to help with this exciting event, please contact Joanne Franey – Community Health Worker at 613-269-3400 ext. 247.

Food banks continue struggling to keep up with the changing needs and demand for our services in our communities.

You can help by spreading the word on social media, inviting your friends and family to the evening and spreading the message about the importance of heart-healthy donations by using #HealthyDonations. Follow social media to inform and invite community members to the event and encourage food bank donations.

CPKC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cpkcr
CPKC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cpkcrail/
CPKC X: https://x.com/CPKCrail

Supporters can follow them on CPKC Holiday Train on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share our message by using #CPKCholidaytrain and #HealthyDonations.

For more information, please visit www.cpkcr.com.