Get your shine on at the Shinerama Kegger!

I don't know if I'm generalizing when I say that beer brings people together.  However, I do stand by the fact that coming together for the greater good with the addition of beer in the vicinity is bound to be a good time.

Hey ladies!  Liz, Coco, Allison, Alison and I decided to spend our Friday afternoon playing some flippy cup in ode to cystic fibrosis at the Shinerama Kegger held at Old Market Square.

To be honest, I wasn't quite clear on what Shinerama was all about when they were handing out invitations and stickers around campus.  I was personally more concerned with the mess that this paraphernalia was making.

Anyway, I had a loose understanding of where the proceeds were going, but I was interested in reading a little bit more on the history on the institution of Shinerama itself.

The internet is a genius invention.  In a few short minutes, I was able to pull up some striking information from the University of Manitoba's Shinerama 2011 website:

In the early 1960’s, less than one in five Canadian children born with Cystic Fibrosis would live to see their third birthday. Members of new charity at the time, the Cystic Fibrosis Canada, were determined to change that. They recognized the enthusiasm and passion that university students possessed, and decided to capitalize on these qualities. 

In 1964, Shinerama was born. At eight schools in Southern Ontario, student volunteers shined shoes to raise over $9,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research. 

In the forty-seven years that have passed since then, Shinerama has grown to be a nationwide movement. At over sixty-five universities and colleges, spanning from coast to coast, over 35,000 student volunteers shine shoes annually to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Canada. 

As the success of Shinerama has grown, so too has the quality of life for those suffering from CF. Today, the average lifespan of a patient suffering from Cystic Fibrosis is over forty years old, a far cry from the three-year-old mark that was a reality back in 1964. Nowadays, many people suffering from CF can grow up to attend university or college, get married, have a family, and realize their dreams. This is due to the medical advancements that have been made possible with fundraisers such as Shinerama. 

There is still, however, no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Although advances have been made in the treatment and management of the disease, CF remains fatal. But there is hope. Each dollar raised from Shinerama brings us closer to a cure. 

I had no clue how widespread Shinerama was.  For this organization to have grown so much, with such a staggering amount of young people like us spreading their word, is awe striking.  I thought that this was an absolutely fantastic organization - but the coolest part about it was that so many young people were taking part in the festivities!

Old Market Square was filled with jovial rhapsody, eager volunteers and a bountiful amount of college students and folks from around the area.  I thought that it was a great opportunity to bring some people in the neighbourhood together to just have fun - while helping raise funds for a cure.

And fun we did have!  The man in the red sweater (can't recall his name) organized a highly competitive game of flippy cup, which was a great success.

I'm telling you, this game was pretty cut-throat.  Here, we see Liz anxiously waiting her turn.  The pressure was immense - but us CreCommers could take it.

In the end, our cups were turned over, our beer cans were empty and we walked away with a feeling of great satisfaction.  It was a fulfilling way to wrap up the end of a hectic week full of ad assignments, BiPole research and mock on-air editorials.

Shinerama, you've been good to us.

Until next year.