STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo: Alberta Health Services
By Shaun Penner
Safe Driving Campaign

Annual Candy Cane Campaign sets up in Grande Prairie Thursday

Dec 12, 2019 | 5:30 AM

If you go through a check stop in Grande Prairie today, it may not be for a bad reason.

Alberta Health Services is holding their annual Candy Cane campaign in the city today, where they will be handing out candy canes and winter driving safety tips at a check stop with Enforcement Services.

The event is put on annually by AHS and has been running for over 15 years in Northern Alberta.

Health Promotions Facilitator for AHS Michelle Hodder says the campaign is always received well by area residents.

“People are pleasantly surprised when they pull up and have someone from Enforcement (Services) pull them over,” said Hodder. “People are usually quite receptive and wants to chat. We’ve even had some people come back and deliver coffees to the people that are cold, standing out there.”

“So, usually it’s great.”

The goal this year is to reach more than 8,000 drivers at over 25 check stops throughout the North zone, while handing out 16,000 candy canes. All of this in the hopes of sharing holiday safety messages.

For those that are in a hurry and end up going through the check stop, there is no need to worry as Hodder says they don’t intend to hold you up very long.

“We don’t usually hold cars up for more than about 60 seconds to about two minutes. We try and make it nice and quick.”

Anyone who is wondering where they might be able to grab themselves a free candy cane today may have to go searching for them, since Hodder isn’t revealing where and when they will be setting up for the day.

“We typically keep that as a surprise. So, I can’t really tell you where,” Hodder chuckled. “But typically, it’s midday, so if you’re out scooting around town in the early/mid afternoon, you’ll probably find us.”

The campaign was held in Fairview and McLennan last week and will be stationed in High Prairie tomorrow (December 13).

by Shaun Penner