PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Passengers boarded the three-car ‘Believe in Wishes’ Holiday Train at Riverside Inn Restaurant on Saturday and enjoyed a memorable ride.
Proceeds from ticket sales benefited separate fundraisers for Kiwanis Club and Homeless Services of Aroostook located in Presque Isle with the event quickly being sold out to excited families.
Kiwanis Club and Homeless Services of Aroostook both raised an estimated $5,300. The money will go toward Kiwanis Club community work and projects in Aroostook County and Homeless Services of Aroostook will use its funds to meet the needs of the Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter.
“We sold out within three hours and I had 17 extra tickets that we were holding for reserve,” said Kiwanis Club Secretary Sue Watson. “We ended up selling 217 tickets.”
Homeless Services of Aroostook sold about 215 tickets, according to Homeless Services of Aroostook Director Kari Bradstreet.
A donation of $5,000 was made to Aroostook County Action Program from Maine Northern Railway and Irving Woodlands, LLC.
Three train rides happened on the snowy Saturday, with the Kiwanis Club heading out first at 10 a.m. with Homeless Services of Aroostook following around noon, and last was for Maine Northern Railway and Irving Woodlands, LLC employees and their families.
The Holiday Train traveled for 45 minutes to the West Chapman Crossing and back to Riverside Inn Restaurant in Presque Isle.
