Shinerama activities in Yarmouth area this Saturday

Shinerama – an annual initiative involving university students across the country (today including Universite Sainte-Anne) – began in 1964 and so far has raised about $18.5 million.

An official in the head office of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada in Toronto says the campaign has been remarkable.

“It’s amazing,” said Tracey Adams, development coordinator, special events. “We can’t believe that 35,000 students across Canada go out every September (to participate).”

Locally, on Sept. 6 Universite Sainte-Anne students will be at various locations, washing cars, face painting, handing out information on CF.

Kayla Crosby, a spokesperson for the university’s Shinerama contingent, says they hope to raise $6,000, an amount they almost reached last year.

“We were pretty close,” she said, referring to the money raised in 2007.

Universite Sainte-Anne has raised $96,000 for Shinerama since 1990.

As for the participation level, Crosby hopes to see around 125 students turn out for this year’s effort, up from the 100 or so who took part in 2007.

“It’s a fantastic cause,” said the third-year student from Wedgeport.

Shinerama participants tend to be in their first year of study, although anyone can take part.

Said Adams, “Most of them are first-year students so they’re from different places…They’re just out in the community meeting new friends, which is the added bonus of (Shinerama).”

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects young people, primarily their lungs and digestive systems.

About one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has CF, according to the CF foundation’s website.

Shinerama’s Yarmouth-area locations for 2008 include the Main Street and Tusket Ultramars, Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire and the Yarmouth Mall.

Universite Sainte-Anne students also will be in the Clare and Digby areas for Shinerama activities.