The wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of a crowd gathered to welcome the CPKC Holiday Train back to Chatham-Kent.
The festive freight pulled in behind the John D Bradley Convention Centre Monday afternoon.
The Holiday Train not only provides a healthy dose of cheer with live music from KT Tunstall and American Authors, but supports local food banks as well.
Brenda LeClair, executive director of Outreach for Hunger says the ongoing support is greatly appreciated.
“We’ve been doing it for quite a good long time and we’re very fortunate that they’ve chosen to stop here in Chatham,” LeClair says. “They like to do their part for food banks across Canada and the United States and having them stop here is very special for us.”
CPKC officials presented LeClair with a cheque for $4500, and spectators brought donations of non-perishable food and other essential items.
LeClair says the support, both from CPKC and local residents, is very much appreciated.
“The need here in Chatham-Kent has really grown over the last few months. We register roughly in the neighbourhood of 100 new families every month, those are families who never thought they would need to use need a food bank and they’re turning to us for support now.”
In the past 25 years, the CPKC Holiday Train campaign has raised over $24-million and more than five-million pounds of food for those in need.
