"Here comes Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt as well, oh how exciting" "and we can write to Thomas, or Percy or Harold, James, Gordon, Henry or even Toby this is fabulous"
Such was the comments from children attending The Day Out With Thomas on June 4,5, 11 and 12 at The West Coast Heritage Park in Squamish. Approix 18000 folks attending the 4 day event that included a very special ride with Thomas The Tank Engine.
The Thomas Event started in 2004 in Squamish and our heritage Club started a Letter Writing Activity at each event each year to maintain our growing concern and commitment to support Literacy in Canada since 1989 when our Club was started. We mirrored the programme after our Santa Letter Writing Programme but specifically for The Thomas Characters and expanded it to the use of our Railway Mail Car by creating a Thomas Post Office, with special Thomas Cancellation Stamp as well as a special an unique Thomas sortation case where Children after writing there letter and addressing there envelope to Thomas & Friends could go into the railway mail car and cancel there postage stamp and sort there own letter into the correct separation. Many folks get to walk into and see our Railway Mail Car display archives and museum presentation as well.
Many of our Club Volunteers help the children compose there letter and address there envelope in an adjoining tent which is decorated nicely and has tables and chairs before the children go into The Railway Mail Car where another Heritage Club Volunteer help the children stamp there envelope and sort it into our Thomas Sortation Case.
Each letter recieved at The Thomas Post Office is also Answered and this year we expect that approix. 2000 letters will be answered by our volunteers.
This year our Thomas volunteers are Rene Brissette, Blanche Lucyk, Sharon Svensrud,Michael Diaz,Jessie Rice, Jim Goldie, Darrel Whiting, Joana Whiting, Gloria Tam, Doug McFeely
Roy Nukina & Taka Nukina
