Shine through the years
Shinerama has been a proud part of Mount Allison’s history since the early 1970s. The annual campaign spreads awareness and raises funds for cystic fibrosis (CF) patient support and care. In the past 17 years, Mount Allison has received the “Best Overall Campaign” award five times. To date, the University has raised more than $700,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
Annually, Mount Allison aims to raise $20,000. This summer, led by Shinerama Chair Ava Horwood, Shinerama student volunteers hosted a range of events including a pancake brunch at Bagtown, rise and shine coffee mornings on campus, Bingo Night at Ducky’s, a Canada Day BBQ in partnership with Tantramar, a Garden Party at Hammond House, and much more!
This all leads up to Shine Day on Saturday, Sept. 12, where students will be hosting a car wash and raising funds and awareness of CF in Sackville and Amherst.
“Beyond the fundraising, I think Shinerama is an integral part of the Mount Allison community and culture,” says Horwood. “It's one of the University's longest-standing student traditions, bringing students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members together to support something greater than themselves, while making a real difference.”
In the early days, the campaign was based on shining shoes for donations before moving to shining cars.
Cathy Hayman (‘89) was the Shinerama Chair in 1987 and 1988.
“It really opened my eyes to a new world of disability issues,” says Hayman.
She went on to be involved as a regional and national director with CF Canada. Hayman recalls it as a significant and also difficult time for CF research when the CFTR gene was discovered in 1989, which gave promise that a cure would one day be found. But a bacteria called cepacia, which could form in the already compromised lungs of those with CF, was also identified as making symptoms transmissible between CF patients and could worsen conditions. This led to the closing of many valuable camps for children with CF, including one in Moncton that was attended by Mount Allison students for training.
Kerri Dawson (‘92) was involved in the 1990 campaign alongside her twin sister Karen (‘92). Knowing nothing about CF at the time, she was just happy to get involved and meet new people.
“Mount Allison is an important part of the fabric of the Sackville community and surrounding areas. Shinerama provides a nice opportunity for students to get out beyond the campus and into the community for a very good cause.”
Her CF connection years later was unexpected. Her three children all have Cystic Fibrosis and her family have been longtime supporters of finding a cure.
For Aleka MacLellan (‘12), participating in Shine Day in her first year and her continued involvement opened up many opportunities and helped shape her path beyond Mount Allison.
“Shinerama is where I first discovered what I was capable of as a student leader,” she says. “Mount Allison gave me the room to grow, while Shinerama gave me the reason — a cause worth showing up for and a team worth showing up with. That passion carried well beyond Mount Allison.”
She was Shinerama Chair in her fourth year and she spent three summers as a campaign advisor, was a regional director, and then the National Campaign Chair. She currently serves on CF Canada’s Board of Directors.
Her doctoral thesis in leadership psychology, which was recognized nationally and internationally, was based on research findings gathered through her volunteer work with Cystic Fibrosis Canada. She says the lessons learned with CF Canada have shaped her entire professional path into leadership advisory work.
Izzy Spinney (‘19) says Shinerama has provided her with so much at Mount Allison and beyond — from volunteer to Shine Chair in 2017 to the national leadership team, regional director, and President of the UPEI Shinerama Campaign in 2021. She is now a registered nurse.
“I gained leadership and fundraising experience and life skills that have transcended the campaigns that I was involved with and have benefitted my professional career,” says Spinney. “I truly feel like I made an impact on cystic fibrosis fundraising and awareness and that is something that I will always be proud of. I have also created lifelong connections with people from across the country.”
Spinney says Shinerama thrives at Mount Allison annually because Mount Allison students are engaged, well-rounded, and passionate about improving the lives of their communities and beyond.
“Despite the small student population, Mount Allison is consistently able to compete with and surpass campaigns from some of the largest universities in the country.”
In 2017, Spinney led Mount Allison to earn the “Best Overall Campaign in Canada” — raising an amazing $38,000 over four months.
MacLellan believes Shinerama thrives at Mount Allison because it reflects the very things that make the University special.
“On a small campus, there are so many opportunities to get involved and students genuinely care about one another and about making a difference. Shinerama gives them a meaningful way to channel that energy — it's a cause worth rallying around and a tradition that brings the whole community together. Each year, a new group of student leaders inherits that spirit and adds their own energy to it, which is what keeps the campaign strong year after year.”
Join this year’s Shine Day across Sackville and Amherst from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, September 12:
• Rose’s Independent
• Sackville United Church (Lemonade Stand)
• York/Lansdowne (50/50)
• Weldon/Bridge (50/50)
• Café Tintamarre
• Amherst Subway
• Amherst Giant Tiger
Shine Car Wash— Sackville Home Hardware, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
New this year:
• Fill the Boot Fundraiser with Sackville RCMP/Fire — Sackville McDonald’s/Irving Intersection, 12-2 p.m.
• BBQ — Outside the MtA Chapel, 11:30-2:30 p.m.
• Brownie Sundaes — Outside the Drew Nursing Home, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cash donations accepted or donate to the campaign online:
