On Saturday Mount Allison students will take to the streets in the annual Shine Day event, to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research and support. This year’s chair of Shinerama, Sajid Bin Afaz, says the day will start early for students with a breakfast at Jennings Hall complete with a surprise guest speaker there to speak about their experience with Cystic Fibrosis.

“After that we split ourselves in different sites in Sackville,” says Bin Afaz. There will be some games at Bill Johnstone park, and a car wash beside the McDonald’s on Main Street, says Bin Afaz. “There will be volunteers and students all around Sackville with posters, with donation boxes, Bluetooth speakers playing some music, and asking for donations,” he says.

Depending on how many students end up joining Shine Day, there could be a mini-parade in the works, says Bin Afaz. “And we are ending the day with a pretty awesome party at Ducky’s,” he says.

Shinerama fundraising will continue into the fall, with the annual Garden Party happening later this month, and collaborations in the works with other clubs and societies at the school. “We also have collaborations with small businesses like House of Tarka and the Sip,” says Bin Afaz. Plans are also afoot for game nights during the football and cricket World Cups which are slated for this fall.

About 30 Canadian colleges and universities participate in Shinerama each year, and Bin Afaz says over $7 million has been raised since the concept was launched as a simple shoe-shine event back in 1964. Mount Allison joined the Shinerama game in 1970, and students have raised over $742,000 over the years.

The Shinerama campaign accepts online donations here.