The CP Holiday Train rumbled its way into Airdrie last night with a toot to the tune of Jingle Bells, and locals packed into Nose Creek Park to watch the holiday fun and give donations to the Airdrie Food Bank.

As always, the Holiday Train was decorated from head to toe in holiday LED Christmas lights, celebrating Christmas and Canada itself. Aside from the lights, locals had a chance to see live music performed by Terri Clark, Sierra Noble and Kelly Prescott from a train cart modified to open up into a stage.

 

The music was incredible, the sights were beautiful and the atmosphere was alive as locals squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder for a chance to see the holiday madness. Candy canes were being handed out by volunteers from United Safety, who were also collecting various donations for the Airdrie Food Bank.

 

Airdrie once again proved itself to be full of the Christmas Spirit with lots of locals bringing non-perishable foods and monetary donations to be given to the Airdrie Food Bank in time for the holidays.

 

United Safety Vice President Shayne MacCallum was with his volunteers to collect the donations and said the Holiday Train always provides some awesome entertainment.

 

"On the Holiday Train, there's some live entertainment, obviously there's lots of stuff for the kids, there are some handouts, there's hot chocolate and all this effort is going towards the Airdrie food bank. We're just here trying to get everybody in the Christmas Spirit and get everyone (excited for) the holidays."

 

MacCallum said any donation that could help the Airdrie Food Bank was appreciated.

 

"Non-perishable food is ideal, and money of course always works the best. Its universal, it gets the folks at the Airdrie food bank exactly what we need, but we take everything."

 

MacCallum believes that volunteering is an important part of the holiday season and said that volunteering at the Holiday Train was one of the ways they could help others in the difficult time of year.

 

"Its that time of year. When you look at it, there's obviously lots of people in need and lots of people this time of year have hard times. I think volunteering is absolutely critical to helping the others and everybody that needs help. We're all here to give that help."

 

The donations poured in, and McCallum was impressed with the number of locals packed into Nose Creek.

 

"Tonight's been really good. We've had a ton of food donations, we've had a ton of monetary donations and the turn out here (is great)."

 

"We've been doing this for about 8 years, with United Safety helping out and volunteering with the Airdrie Food Bank, and I've never seen this kind of turn out."

The residents of Cochrane will have a chance to enjoy the train tomorrow when it visits the town at 2:45. The Holiday Train will host live music performed by Kelly Prescott, Tracey Brown and the Sam Roberts Band. 

 

 

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