OVER THE EDGE

September 26 - October 10, 2007

7

Happenings of Shinerama

Haakon SULLIVAN

ADVERTISING/
DISTRIBUTION
MANAGER

When I walked into the
Canfor Theatre at 8:30 on [
Saturday morning, I was
expecting a small group
of people looking like they |
were being forced to be
shining shoes for their re-
spective clubs. However,
it was quite the contrary.
I was greeted by a lecture |
room full of people look-
ing enthusiastic about the
day ahead while eating the
breakfast goods put before
them.

The meeting started
with a couple videos. One
showed what Shinerama
does for people who suffer
from Cystic Fibrosis. As
a matter of fact, since the
early sixties when Shiner-
ama and other fundraising
organizations started, the
life expectancy of those af-
flicted with the illness has
increased from one year old to around thirty
seven years. The other video was one which
described what Cystic Fibrosis was. It’s a
genetic illness that effects the respiratory and
digestive tract by making the mucus in them
deadly.

After that, we got a pep talk from some of

the NUGSS board members and the regional
director of the Cystic Fibrosis society. We

Shinerama groups pose for the yearly NUGSS photo

were told that last year, UNBC made over
fourteen thousand dollars for research. That
was not only a UNBC record, but also the hi-
ghest amount raised for Shinerama groups in
BC.

We then had our picture taken as a group and
then we set out to each of our locations. Out
in the field, I learned that people were going

to Shinerama for many reasons, ranging from
knowing someone who has Cystic Fibrosis to

making money for their club. To raise money,
the activities involved shining shoes for do-
nations, washing cars, and collecting bottles.
This was done in high spirits, but there were
some times when the goal of getting the high-
est amount of money collected seemed to get
the best of people. For example, collecting
money on a few groups’ areas was frowned

upon by those groups even though the money
all goes towards the same cause. There was
also a feeling of accom-
*"\ plishment when people
cheered every time a batch
of bottles was turned in or a
piece of news received.

At the end of the day there
was a dinner that would
not only give us a meal to
remember but also the an-
nouncements of who won
some specific awards and
how much money was
taised. We also had some
speakers who have Cystic
|| Fibrosis deeply imbedded
into their lives talk about
how difficult it is to cope
_| with a disease that can kill at
| a misstep. The results of the
| fundraising were then given.
| The total amount raised was
over fifteen thousand dol-
lars making a new record
for UNBC. The group that
| raised the highest amount of
money at over one thousand
dollars was the hockey club,
who were more than happy
to show their enthusiasm at
getting the reward. Lastly,
the group that had the most creative shine was
the Anthropology club. They «shined» a heli-
copter as it was flying over UNBC. All in all,
Shinerama has created many memories and
has helped me gain some new friends. Hope-
fully next year we’ll beat this year’s record
and get more people aware of Cystic Fibrosis
in the process.

Shinerama-Bombama-Banana-Rama-Obama

$15200 Record-Setting Year

Copy Wittetrr

Epiror in Cuier
What does Barak Obama have to do with Shinerama? Not

much, but if NUGSS was up to penning some rhymes for ee

the next socially aware Kanye West album, they could plug
the Cystic Fibrosis fundraiser by rhyming it with everyone’s }
favourite US presidential candidate. However, judging by
NUGSS VP External, Cameron M. Ehl’s, rolling of the eyes
when I suggested the idea to him, NUGSS isn’t game. I think
they would have raised more money if they did, but with a
record-setting $15200 raised this year, they did something
right.

I sat down with Mr. Ehl for another Willett One on One ex- '
clusive interview to get the skinny on how, as Chairman of the
Shinerama campaign, he pulled it off. Once again Cam opted
for the housecoat interview over coffee at 7:30am. Gracefully
covering up his overexposed leg, Cam began our interview by
making it clear that as Shinerama Chairman he couldn’t have

b

made the event a success without the tremendous support of ~

UNBC students and the local community. When asked how

of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was there to give
a pep talk that motivated volunteers to raise as much money as
they could to fight this truly deadly disease. Students boarded

years’ efforts, Cam regaled me with a story about how 2. Willett.

Social, James De Vuyst, scared the wits out of him at

Shinerama kickoff breakfast. Apparently Cam had set the fad.
raising target for only $13000 at the Shinerama Conference he
attended in London (Ontario... although he won’t admit it) this
summer. He’d secretly desired to not only beat last year’s total
of $12000, but to actually match the UNBC record of $14000,
set two years ago. When James was supposed to announce this
ambitious target to Shinerama student volunteers, he flubbed
his line and proclaimed the goal to be $15000. Cam said he
almost swooned at the added pressure. Luckily, Karen Kellett

city buses that were graciously provided by UNBC Alumnus
Aiden Kelly, who now works in the public transit department
at the City of Prince George. The buses whisked volunteers off
to car washes, shoe shine stations, bottle rich neighbourhoods
and other places where donations could be solicited.

It was the moment of truth for Cam; after weeks of planning,
students dispersed into the community to uphold the honour
of NUGSS and UNBC. Cam said that at lunch when NUGSS
board members went to serve sandwiches to volunteers and

James De Vuvst, NUGSS VP socian
this year’s fundraising drive stacked up against previous WYGSs VP External speaks with OTE’s head honcho, Cody

pick up their loot, he exhaled a sigh of relief when $6000 had
been raised in the morning alone. By the end of the day, dona-
tions totalling a record $15200 had poured in from the efforts
of over 60 clubs representing nearly 300 selfless student vol-
unteers. Over $1700 was raised from the bottle drive alone
while the top three clubs participating in Shinerama, the
Ismaili Club, Commerce Students Society and Greywolves
Hockey had raised $1500 each. Shinerama Co-Chair Jes-
sica Schmit also exhibited her high calibre soliciting talent
in collecting a record $2000 in corporate donations.

Thus it was that 200 well deserving students received
dinner on NUGSS at the Caribou Steakhouse and Grill that
evening. It was only following the crowd-moving presen-
; tations of Karen Kellett and Jacqueline Anderson, whose
: siblings grew up suffering the devastating effects of Cystic
Fibrosis, that Cam spilled the top secret fundraising total to
a shocked crowd of heroes. Cam, now speaking with a tone
of distinct pride in his student body, described the moment
as “one of the most rewarding experiences [he’d] ever had,
seeing that grateful look on Jacqueline’s face when [he’d]
overcome [his] elation to announce the total.” Indeed,
UNBC students have much to swell their chests about as
universities ten times the size of UNBC (like UBC and U of
C) only managed to raise $20000 or so in 2006, according
to Cam. “This higher ratio of solicited donations speaks vol-
umes about the charitable and caring nature of not only UNBC
students, but the wider community as well” Cam said. With
a new UNBC record set, I had to ask what noble endeavour
was next on the NUGSS agenda. Cam gave me a sly look and
shrugged. Apparently, fresh off this year’s Shinerama success,
Cam needed some time to put together his next triumph. As he
sauntered off to his room upstairs, I realized that I should at
least give the man a chance to get dressed for the day.