Contact: Steve Sugars Page Content: Canadian Pacific’s cross-country and cross-border food bank drive launches its 13th year of raising money, food and awareness this weekend. The CP Holiday Train, North America’s longest-running rolling fundraiser, has become an annual holiday tradition for many food banks. Two freight trains, both decked out in thousands of feet of festive lighting, roll into communities on both sides of the border with entertainers performing from a boxcar that has been converted into a mobile stage. The Canadian Holiday Train kicks off its unique journey across six provinces on Sunday, November 27th with its first stop in Beaconsfield, Quebec and then wrapping up its powerful three-week journey in Port Moody B.C. on December 17th. The U.S. Holiday Train has also begun its trek through large and small communities in eight U.S. states in the Northeast and Midwest. Since 1999, the CP Holiday Train has entertained thousands while raising about $5.6 million and collecting over 2.5 million pounds of food for local food bank programs.¤ For many food banks along the way, this is their major fundraiser for the next 12 months. In all, the two specially-decorated trains will visit about 150 communities with everything collected at each stop staying in that community for local distribution. On the Canadian Holiday Train, crowds will experience Canadian music legend Valdy. Joining Valdy on stage will be young Ottawa rockers, Brothers Dube’ and Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Tracey Brown. Bringing holiday cheer and the important message of supporting food shelves in the United States will be veteran Milwaukee folk-rocker Willy Porter, along with Nashville country-music recording artist Sydney Grigg. The 2011 CP Holiday Train schedule, musician bios and other information is on cpr.ca. As well, both Holiday Trains can be followed on Facebook and on Twitter (@CPHolidaytrain).¤ [h=4]Editor’s Notes[/h] Backgrounder attached High-resolution images are available on: www.cpr.ca Broadcast quality b-roll can be downloaded through CNW Video on Demand: http://cnw.pathfireondemand.com/viewpackage.action?packageid=498 MP3 recordings of 2011 Holiday Train music can be downloaded at: https://www.yousendit.com/download/T2djK3BGSWh0NjhVV01UQwXX [h=4]Media Contacts:[/h]¤ Canadian Holiday Train¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤U.S. Holiday Train¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Kevin Hrysak¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤Ed Greenberg¤¤¤ (403) 836-3874 (cell)¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤(612) 849-4717 (cell)¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Kevin_hrysak@cpr.ca¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ed_greenberg@cpr.ca¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ *CP Media Line: 1-855-242-3674 (24/7-Toll Free) News Release Date: 11/25/2011 11:00 AM Location: Calgary, Alberta News Type: Community Is Featured: Yes More...
