The MASU Shinerama campaign, in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, has a long and celebrated history at Mount Allison University. This award-winning campaign is continuing this fall, thanks to the hard work and creativity of Mount Allison students.

Traditionally Shine Day, held each September, sees students out and about in Sackville and near-by communities, washing cars, collecting donations, and participating in other activities as part of the organization’s national campaign. And activities will continue this year, with some changes to keep all community members safe.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve had to get a little creative in our Shinerama campaign,” says Emma Jacobson, a fourth-year International Relations student and this year’s campaign director. “Along with a scaled-back version of our traditional Shine Day, we’ve also organized a number of virtual events and activities.”

September 12’s Shine Day will see pre-registered students fund raising in Sackville, Riverview, Dieppe, Moncton, and Shediac, following all Public Health guidelines including physical distancing and wearing face masks.

“All our campaign activities are planned with public safety in mind,” says Jacobson, who has been involved with the Shinerama campaign since her first year at Mount Allison. “Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 as it is a respiratory illness. We know we need to be doing everything we can to keep all community members as safe as possible.”

One of the campaign’s most successful fundraisers has been the sale of reusable face masks in both Mount Allison and Shinerama colours. Jacobson’s mother, Cathy Baillie (Class of ’91), has made over 700 masks with more than 200 for the Mount Allison campaign to date. They are available for purchase by e-mailing shinerama@mta.ca or at Tidewater Books. The team also organized a physically-distance Garden Party and the publication and sale of a Shinerama cookbook, featuring recipes from Mount Allison students.

Other upcoming Shinerama activities and fund raisers include:

• Virtual Silent Auction, Aug. 22-29. See Facebook event: https://bit.ly/3gqCyY7
• A Shine beer in collaboration with Sackville’s Bagtown Brewery
• Bottle drives with contactless pick-up for donations

While plans for the 2020 campaign are different this year, Mount Allison’s team is continuing an award-winning tradition. The student group received Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s Community Event Champion – a regional fund raising Award for this year. The Mount Allison team also Best Overall Campaign in 2019 — the third year in a row and fifth time in the past 11 years that they have received the national honour.

Shinerama events and campaigns have been held for 46 years at Mount Allison, raising nearly $700,000 for cystic fibrosis treatment and care through Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Find more information about MASU’s 2020 Shinerama campaign on their Facebook page (MASU Shinerama) and Instagram (@mtashinerama) or e-mail shinerama@mta.ca

Photo captions: 2020 MASU Shinerama Chair Emma Jacobson, right, at the physically-distant fundraiser held at Sackville’s Bagtown Brewery this summer. Shinerama’s 2020 Garden Party fundraiser.