The West Coast Express Santa Train was rolling on Saturday, Dec. 13, and had one of its best donation days every.
The Santa Train leaves Mission Station on Saturday mornings, making stops along the way to Waterfront Station in Vancouver, and allowing riders to offer new, unwrapped toys as their train fare. The toys go to Christmas charities in the communities the train serves, including the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society.
Volunteer Tanya Sawchuk, who was working at the Port Haney Station for the 31st year, was impressed by 115 donated toys at that station alone on Saturday.
“That’s one of our better days, for sure,” she said, noting there were six big bags to be trucked to the Christmas Hamper.
Added to the 71 toys donated last weekend for the train, the Port Haney Station riders totalled 186 toys alone.
“And the gifts themselves were incredible this year,” Sawchuk added, noting donors were generous in what they spent – far more than if they had bought train fare.
“There’s going to be a lot of happy kids,” added volunteer Kelly Craig.
Normally a weekday commuter train, this rare Saturday ride to Vancouver lets people enjoy Christmas festivities and shopping in the city, including the Vancouver Christmas Market which is held at Jack Poole Plaza near Waterfront. It then returns home just before dinner.