Santa bus is coming

With three busloads of food collected during last year’s Santa Bus campaign, Thunder Bay Transit hopes to bring in even more donations this year.

"This year we’re going to go even more and we’re going to be bringing them to the city scales to weigh them as well so we can see what we’re bringing in," said Jon Hendel, marketing and planning analyst with Thunder Bay Transit.

Organized by the Thunder Bay Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 966, the 16th annual Santa Bus kicked off Monday and runs until Friday, Dec. 10. Dry food items can be dropped off on any city bus at any route stop before 8 p.m. each night this week.

All collected food will be given to the Thunder Bay Food Bank. Any monetary donations and Friday’s fares will go to the United Way.

With the campaign growing in success every year, Hendel said it’s a great way for transit to give back to the community.

"It’s the time of year when many are in need," he said. "Our transit family is able to come together and do something great for our own community…We have so many operators and service crew that step forward and want to participate in this."

The decision to extend the campaign from a few days to a full business week was to bring more awareness to the Santa Bus, Hendel said. Having the bus operators wear Santa hats and reindeer antlers would build anticipation for Friday’s finale when St. Nick himself will be driving a bus around the city, he added.

Also in advance to Santa’s appearance on Friday, he’ll be visiting seniors homes and daycares Thursday, something the children look forward to.

"The kids love it," Hendel said. "Even just dropping off these Santa box donation bins at daycares, having kids just know that Santa’s coming soon to seem them, it just pumped them up."

For the city bus schedule visit www.nextbus.com.