Winnipeg, MB - Students from the University of Manitoba shined shoes at City Hall today to support the 49th annual Shinerama campaign to fight cystic fibrosis and to promote next Wednesday's Shine Day, when a few hundred students will offer shoe-shining services at locations throughout the City of Winnipeg in return for a donation to Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
“I commend the student volunteers from the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business, and all student volunteers, for donating their time and efforts to help improve the lives of Canadians living with cystic fibrosis,” said Mayor Katz. “Winnipeggers have been generous in the past, and I am confident they will support Shinerama events again this year.”
Each year, Canadian post-secondary students raise funds for cystic fibrosis research and care at hundreds of local Shinerama events across the country. This year, University of Manitoba students hope to raise $15,000 from Shine Day, which will take place Sept. 11, 2013 at a dozen downtown office buildings and several University of Manitoba locations. As well, student volunteers from the University of Winnipeg will be shining shoes by donation on campus and throughout the downtown area on Sept. 18, and Red River College will be holding its Colour Me Red running race in support of Shinerama on Sept. 20.
“One person dies from cystic fibrosis in Canada each week and one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis,” said Joan Betchel, Board Co-Chair of Cystic Fibrosis Winnipeg. “These are staggering statistics for a disease that is considered ‘rare’. After losing my daughter, Jessie, to Cystic Fibrosis 6 years ago I am on a personal mission to ensure the money needed to fund research is in place.”
Cystic Fibrosis Canada is one of the world’s top three charitable organizations committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and is a leader in funding research, innovation and clinical care. Since 1960, Cystic Fibrosis Canada has invested almost $150 million in leading research, care and advocacy, resulting in one of the world’s highest survival rates for Canadians living with cystic fibrosis.
Shinerama has helped lead the fight against cystic fibrosis since 1964. Today, Shinerama involves more than 60 Canadian universities and colleges and more than 35,000 student volunteers.