One of the popular pre-Christmas annual events for the Estevan area is approaching, with a visit from the CP Rail Holiday Train.
The train will be in Estevan on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. Prominent Canadian country music stars Terri Clark, Dallas Smith and Kelly Prescott are scheduled to perform at the event.
The Estevan Salvation Army will be on hand to accept donations of non-perishable food items and cash for the food bank.
The train that visits Estevan will be the U.S. version of the Holiday Train. Earlier in the day, the train will cross the Canada-U.S. border at North Portal. There will also be a concert in North Portal at noon.
The train has been making its way through northern Midwest states like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
The CP Holiday Train program launched in 1999 and has since raised more than C$13 million and four million pounds of food for communities along CP's routes in Canada and the United States.
Each event is completely free, with CP encouraging every attendee to open their cupboards or wallets to support the food bank.
“The Holiday Train program is all about local food banks and food shelves and the critical role they play in our communities,” said Keith Creel, CP's president and chief executive officer.
“People come for the beautifully-lit train and stay for the incredible show – all in the name of community. The holiday season is the best time of the year, and we look forward to bringing together thousands of Canadians and Americans this season for this incredibly important cause and a great time."
CP is also encouraging spectators to donate heart-healthy food, as everyone should have access to healthy, nutritious food, regardless of circumstances. This supports the mission of CP Has Heart, a program dedicated to improving the heart health of men, women and children in North America.
To date, this program has raised C$12 million for cardiac care and research.
A Canadian version of the train has also been making its way across the country.
