Welcome to Shinerama 2013!

Welcome to Shinerama 2013... Canada's 49th year of shining! I am delighted to welcome you all to the official kickoff of the 2013 Shinerama campaign. This year, students across Canada are committed to raising $1.16M, all towards the fight against cystic fibrosis (CF).

So what is Shinerama? It can be described as Canada's largest post-secondary fundraiser, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. It started as a shoe-shine fundraiser in the 1960s, and has grown to include more than 60 colleges and universities, 35,000+ volunteers, who participate in car washes, BBQs, sporting tournaments, and other fundraising events. You can still even get your shoes shined!

What's truly remarkable is the passion of post-secondary students; united together coast to coast, to improve the lives of Canadians living with cystic fibrosis. In the 1960s, people living with CF weren't expected to live past kindergarten. Now, people with CF can expect to live well into adulthood. Shinerama has had a large part in contributing to the quality of life of Canadians living with cystic fibrosis. Since 1964, Shinerama has raised over $23.5 million for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. That's pretty impressive for an initiative that started out as a shoe-shine campaign.

May is an exciting month! Not only is it Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, it is also when the Shinerama National Leadership Conference occurs. Every Victoria Day weekend in May, student leaders from across the country come together to share resources and ideas, hear from dynamic speakers, participate in workshops, and network. I am really looking forward to our upcoming conference, and meeting these incredible students.

In order to provide sufficient guidance and support to these student leaders, there is a group of dedicated volunteers, committed to mentoring and preparing these students during their fundraising campaign. The National Shinerama Leadership Team is made up of 18 volunteers, filling the roles of Campaign Advisors, Regional Directors, and the National Chair. Campaign Advisors (CA) are individuals from across the country who once ran a Shinerama campaign at their respective school. These individuals will use their experience and knowledge to guide new campaign coordinators throughout their fundraising. Regional Directors (RD) are responsible for campaigns that fall in their assigned provinces, and supporting the CAs in their regions. I would like to personally extend a large thank you to the entire leadership team, who have been working tirelessly since we took on these roles on February 1st.

I am honoured to be the National Chair for the 2013-2015 term. Through this volunteer role, I represent Shinerama on Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s Stakeholder Council, Chair the Shinerama Liaison Committee, provide support to the CAs and RDs, and assist in the strategic planning of the future of Shinerama.

We’re in for a great year ahead, and I want to thank in advance all of our incredible volunteers and supporters. I truly believe that someday CF will stand for Cure Found, and know that we’ve made a difference in making that happen.


Sara GloverShinerama National Chair