CAMPUS News The Chronicle September 28, 2010 9 Students polish off successful Shinerama Local cars get scrubbed clean at DC/UOIT By Susan Brown Chronicle Staff Volunteers were all smiles during Durham College’s ninth year aboard the Shinerama bandwagon on Sept. 11. The annual fundraiser, which supports the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, has been a community attraction since 1964 and has become a custom of approximately 60 college and universities across Canada. Originally deemed as a shoe shining event, $20.5 million has been raised since its inception as the fundraiser has evolved into a cause that encourages creativity to bring in donations. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that is present from birth. One in every 25 Canadians is a CF carrier, however, most are not even aware of this fact. Mitch LePage, Durham’s president for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, knows too well the challenges this disease presents, having supported his son in a life-long battle for a cure. “Some people, from the outside looking in, look at us and wonder how we cope and deal with this (disease), but it becomes very much a part of our own routine, our own lives, and we look at our life on a day-to-day basis because that’s the way you have to be. You can’t look too far in the future, you just deal with each of the challenges as they come along.†Having spent four weeks in hospital this past year, LePage’s son remains optimistic and active. Having been a provincial gymnastics champion three years ago, he continues to coach gymnastics and is working towards his high school diploma. “It’s really nice that the kids can come together and have a good time, but I wasn’t sure that they were appreciating what they were doing and the impact it was having on the lives of some people,†LePage said. “What I do is help the kids understand that there is some real purpose and some real good that is coming from this.†Last year, the combined efforts of Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology raised $5,100. Supporters are hopeful that the $1 million national goal for this year will be met. “I’m participating this year to help bring in money to find a cure,†said Brittany Wyant, an Office Administration student at Durham College. “This event is remarkable. I’ve never done anything like this before, so it’s something different. A new experience,†she said. Anthony Boland, president of the Student Association at Durham College and UOIT, encourages all students to actively participate in the future and insists on first-years doing so by making it a mandatory event on the Campusfest passport, where students receive stamps at each event for a chance to win $2, 500 towards tuition. “Shinerama is an amazing initiative for a very worthy cause and it’s super fun too,†he said. Photo by Susan Brown WAX ON WAX OFF: Raquel Murray, a first-year modeling and computational science student at UOIT, at Shinerama (annual cystic fibrosis fundraiser). New SA president shares his big ideas to help DC/UOIT students By Michael Boyd to gain access to all of the SA’s services. To ensure that students have wider access to the services of the SA, Boland plans on purchasing and The Student Association has moved in a new di- allocating more lounge, event, tuck shop and office rection as Anthony Boland moves from VP of Cam- space across all Durham and UOIT campuses. “In terms of a legacy I’ll leave that to the history pus life to SA president. writers and those who write the books Former SA president Amy Engto decide that,†Boland said. “My job is land made a name for herself while In terms of a to make sure I leave the SA in a better working for the SA. She is known for her advocacy on the student hous- legacy, I’ll leave place than it was before.†Boland has ing issue, fighting to ensure student that to the history hired a new marketing co-ordinator to streamline the marketing of the SA. This rights. As England moves on to bigger writers and those will help ensure students can easily find things does the shadow she cast leave who write the information about events and services. when it comes to students looking for Boland living within it? books to decide So information on what the SA offers they Boland feels that this is a new year will be able to find advocacy, service and a new time with new issues to that. and support. Internal communication deal with. “There are areas where Amy startAnthony Boland and marketing within the school is important but Boland learned that external ed the job and finished the job. There communication between the school and are a few things that she started that I continue to work on, but above all every year there the surrounding community and the city as a whole is are new opportunities and challenges to face,†Boland also important, adding that the SA needs to show the students and the community what it’s all about. says. Boland also talked about introducing more ways One issue that has already presented itself to Boland is the lack of SA policies and structure. This has to get to know the SA other than the yearly annual caused a complete realigning of the SA structure and general meeting hosted in November. He plans on student centre alike with the introduction of new by- running town hall meetings, having the executive laws and staffing structure to help with the demand of staff be present on Twitter and even having a presever-growing student numbers. This realignment will ence on YouTube via a talk show. For more information of what the SA is doing and hopefully help the almost 15,000 students of Durham College and UOIT spread across the Durham Region planning visit www.your-sa.ca for more details. Chronicle Staff ‘ ’ Photo by Michael Boyd NEW IDEAS: Student Association President Anthony Boland hopes to leave the SA better off than when he started.