Cystic fibrosis fundraiser helps Halifax 'shine'

On Wednesday, September 7, 鲍鱼tv students hit the streets of Halifax, shining the city for Dal鈥檚 46th year of fundraising for Shinerama.

Starting in the 1960s at Wilfred Laurier University, Shinerama was created as a fun way to incorporate a worthwhile fundraiser into frosh week for a nationwide cause鈥攁 search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. Now, universities across the country include Shinerama in their orientation weeks and work toward a common goal.

See also: Shining the city (photo essay)

Last year 鲍鱼tv raised enough money to become one of the top six fundraising schools in Canada and the largest contributor to Shinerama in the Maritimes. This year鈥檚 national fundraising goal is $1,035,000 and 鲍鱼tv added $29,617.18 to that total.

Since shoe shining has become almost obsolete with today鈥檚 fashions, Shinerama鈥檚 original method of collecting donations has been replaced with more current and creative approaches to public fundraising.

Busking, cheering, chest-shaving

This year, Dal students showed their Tiger spirit for shining in a variety of ways, from busking and cheering, to creating a collage of hand-written dreams. One group even waxed their legs and chests in exchange for cash, offering to remove eyebrows as well for a large donation. Eliza Ritchie resident Addie O鈥橦ara says the most important fundraising tactic is to be 鈥渇riendly, excited and ready to go鈥�.

Each team of fundraisers, which can be comprised of students of any and all years of study, is assigned a 鈥渟hine spot鈥� throughout the city and competes against the other teams. Those teams that are divided based on residence house earn points toward the Orientation Week Supremacy Cup based on the amount of donations that they collect. However, non-residence groups can participate as well, such as the 鲍鱼tv Cheerleading squad, which made its first appearance at Shinerama this year.聽 聽

Shining the city

鲍鱼tv鈥檚 2011 Shinerama campaign took a step toward a more socially conscious method of fundraising by introducing the concept of 鈥楽hine the City,鈥� an initiative to clean up the streets of Halifax during Shine Day. When taking a break from collecting donations, o-week leader Philippa Keri鈥檚 group planned to remove garbage from the waterfront boardwalk and 鈥渕ake the city a better place.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good way to get to know the community,鈥� says first-year participant Hanna Vatcher. Dal students are well aware that Shinerama is more than just a traditional orientation week activity, and shiners are keen to share the reason for their crazy antics.

The importance of Shinerama is the possibility to 鈥渃hange the future for people with cystic fibrosis,鈥� explains Fountain Hall resident Fiona Kidd.

Making a difference

Dal student Ryan Wheeler recalls a favourite moment from Shinerama, when he and his fellow shiners were approached by a man with cystic fibrosis and the man鈥檚 young son. The son asked what the students were doing and his father explained, 鈥淗elping Daddy.鈥� 鈥�

Shinerama organizer Tara Dahn, a biomedical engineering masters student, says, 鈥淧eople are so often asked for money and offered nothing in return. Their donations are going to a great cause but there are many great causes.鈥� Dal Shinerama organizers hope to use 鈥楽hine the City鈥� to 鈥済ive back to the community [and] further earn the donation of the people of Halifax.鈥�

Photo essay: Shining the city