July 15, 2019

Students in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Shinerama club and orientation week student volunteers have teamed up to host Shinerama events during July and August in addition to their traditional fall orientation week events. The students aim to exceed a $100,000 fundraising goal.

Shinerama is the country’s largest post-secondary fundraiser in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Laurier’s Shinerama campaign raised $100,124 in 2018, the most of any post-secondary institution in Canada for the second year in a row.

The summertime fundraising events are open to Laurier’s student community. Visit the Laurier Shinerama Facebook page for more details.

Sunday, July 7: Shine Summer Challenge

More than 300 Laurier students were stationed throughout Waterloo Region on July 7 for the Shine Summer Challenge. The event, designed to increase awareness about cystic fibrosis and collect donations, raised over $4,700.

Saturday, July 20: Shinerama Dodgeball Tournament

Teams of Laurier students will face off in the Athletic Complex beginning at 1 p.m. during the Shinerama Dodgeball Tournament. Deadline to register a team is July 18.

Saturday, Aug. 10: Softball Tournament

Play ball! Laurier student teams are invited to take part in the ninth annual Shinerama Softball tournament at Waterloo Park. A home run derby will follow the round-robin tournament. Deadline to register a team is Aug. 7.

Shinerama events will also take place on Laurier’s Brantford and Waterloo campuses from Sept. 1 to Sept. 7 as part of fall orientation week. Events include Shine Day, which sees students stationed throughout the community to collect donations for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, and Shine Time, where community members living with cystic fibrosis share their knowledge and experience.

Shinerama: Born at Laurier in 1964

Shinerama began at Laurier’s Waterloo campus in 1964, when Paul Enns, president of the sophomore class at Laurier (then known as Waterloo Lutheran University), came up with the concept of a shoe-shine fundraiser as a positive way to welcome students to campus life.

Shinerama has since grown to become Canada’s largest annual post-secondary fundraiser, involving students at nearly 60 university and college campuses who shine shoes, wash cars and host events to raise funds for the cause. In total, Shinerama has generated approximately $28 million for the fight against cystic fibrosis.

For more information about Shinerama events at Laurier, email shineramapromo@gmail.com.