The mild temperatures, and early evening stop brought families out in droves last night to take in the CP Holiday Train stop in Lacombe.

And there was plenty of support for the food bank according to local volunteer Edward Reimche.

“The people tonight have just been overwhelming, the attendance here has been overwhelming and I’ve been out to maybe about 10 trains.  The cashbox, I’ve never seen it so full, I don’t know how much we have, but we have a lot of 20’s!”

Canadian Pacific also turned over a $4,000 cheque for the Lacombe Food Bank.

Reimche says the big boost comes at the perfect time.

“We always look forward to this because it helps to fill hampers for people before Christmas and then it helps us carry over into January and February, so it’s a carry over into the New Year”.

The Holiday Train makes 3 more central Alberta stops today, this afternoon in Innisfail, Olds and Didsbury.

It arrives in Innisfail at 52nd Avenue and 50th Street, the FasGas crossing at 1:15 for a 1:25 show, it should be pulling into Olds at the 50th Street level crossing at 2:35 for a 2:45 show and then on to Didsbury, arriving at 19th Street and 18th Avenue about 3:50 for a 4 pm show.

(L-R: A representative from CP, Lacombe Mayor Grant Creasey, Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law, and Michael Gouchie on behalf of the Lacombe Food Bank accepting a $4,000 donation from CP)

(Toronto singer/songwriter Emma Lee)