Weyburn Mayor Debra Button and Don Shumlich, manager of the Weyburn Credit Union, recently announced a friendly competition to collect food for the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.
The Holiday Train, North America's longest-running rolling food bank fundraiser, is a worthy cause in its own right, but Weyburn's Mayor has a personal motivation that has added such momentum that "The Clash at Coteau Corner" could make record-breaking history.
The challenge put forth by the City to the Credit Union is simply to see who can generate more donations for the Salvation Army food bank before the Holiday Train rolls into town on December 17. Winners will get bragging rights and losers will have to sing Christmas carols to the winners.
"Listening to my singing voice is not exactly a prize, but in this case everyone is a winner," said Don Shumlich.
Indeed, the real winners are of course the recipients of the food bank's generosity. Normally the conditions of the Holiday Train have made donation of food bank items more difficult, as Railway Avenue gets very busy and the weather is usually quite formidable. Last year's Holiday Train rolled through on a particularly cold evening and just 500 pounds of food and $100 was collected for the food bank.
This year, because of the Mayor's innovative idea to challenge City Hall's neighbours to the North to rally collections, the goal is 25,000 pounds of food.
"Each dollar donated equals one pound of food," said Lieutenant Mike Mailman of the Salvation Army. Monetary donations translate dollar-for-dollar into pounds of food.
Shumlich and Button are also welcoming corporate donations. In fact, by the time they had cut the cake to kick-off the food drive, Enerplus had already donated $5,000 to the City of Weyburn's total. Shortly afterward, Crescent Point Place added another $5,000 to that total.
Mayor Button noted that the City of Saskatoon has officially collected 1,100 pounds of groceries and $250 for their food bank.
"It's looking very positive that Weyburn can have bragging rights across the province," said the Mayor. "If Saskatoon can't beat us, I'm sure Regina can't either."
But it's not just about the bragging rights.
Mayor Debra Button has always been a big supporter of the Holiday Train, as her father, Roy Loos, was an avid fan of the festive locomotive. Loos, who passed away this spring, was a CP employee for 37 years. Roy Loos not only loved trains, but he had a special enthusiasm for the decked-out freight trains filled with entertainers celebrating the spirit of giving. Loos had already retired from CP by the time the first Holiday Train arrived in Weyburn in 1999, but his passion was evident to all who knew him. In fact, Roy Loos' memorial includes an option to donate to the Holiday Train in his remembrance.
More than 150,000 visitors check out the Holiday Train each year in 150 cities and towns on both sides of the border. In the past 13 years, CP has raised $5.6 million and generated close to 2.5 million pounds of food donations for local food shelves. Each Holiday Train has 14 rail cars decorated with hundreds of thousands of festive lights, including a modified boxcar that has been turned into a travelling stage for performers.
Mayor Button encourages supporters to bring their donations as a way to honour the memory of their departed loved ones, as she is doing so on behalf of her dad.
"By giving generously to those who need it most, you pay tribute to someone who may be missing from your holiday table," Button said.
There are a number of ways to contribute to the cause. Employees of the City can dress casual as long as they bring a food bank donation item to work with them. The Weyburn Leisure Centre is issuing a free swimming voucher to anyone who brings a food bank donation when going swimming. Crescent Point Place is also accepting food bank donations at hockey games.
Holiday Train CDs are available for $10 at City Hall. Two selections are available to choose from, including one with an additional DVD. The CDs make great gifts and every cent goes to Weyburn's food bank. To save the Salvation Army the paperwork, donations can also be made directly to the City of Weyburn for a tax-deductible receipt. Cheque donations made to the food bank through the Credit Union should be made out to the Salvation Army food bank for a receipt.
Representatives of Enerplus and Crescent Point Place will be riding on the train this year, along with the pastors of the Salvation Army church, Mike and Melissa Mailman. Mayor Button will be riding the train in memory of her father and will be accompanied by her mother Donna Loos.
In light of the personal connection Button has with the Holiday Train, as her father had treasured it so, the Mayor could have chosen to avoid the event entirely and might have sent a deputy in her place. But rather than let the pain of loss override her experience with the Holiday Train, the Mayor has declared full steam ahead and is allowing her father's passion to fuel her inspiration. By encouraging her community to give big this year, Mayor Button can honour the memory of her father Roy.
Mayor Button and Don Shumlich will weigh in their collections to determine the results of "The Clash at Coteau Corner" on the morning of December 17. Winners will brag and losers will sing.
The Mayor and company will board the U.S. Holiday Train line in Estevan and ride it into Weyburn, joined by the line's entertainment act, Wisconsin's Willy Porter.
Upon the Holiday Train's arrival in Weyburn Mayor Button will give a speech and present the Salvation Army food bank with a big cheque, which will hopefully become a tradition.
"I firmly believe my dad will be there," said Mayor Button about the Holiday Train's scheduled arrival in Weyburn, which will be on December 17th at 7:30 p.m.
Shumlich and Button will be appearing in full smack-talk form on an upcoming episode of Access7's "Talk of the Town".
