A quick brush up on the Shuffle
Last year’s Shuffle marked a quarter century of fundraising for student scholarships and bursaries
The Shuffle is now past the quarter-century mark, making it older than the average undergraduate student.
Concordia’s annual intercampus walkathon symbolically links the Sir George Williams Campus and Loyola Campus — once separate institutions. This year’s Shuffle will take place Friday, September 18, marking 26 years of fundraising for student scholarships and bursaries.
Here are 26 fun Shuffle facts from the past two-and-a-half decades:
- The walkathon has raised nearly $1.2 million for students since its inception in 1990. Every penny goes to Concordia student scholarships and bursaries.
- To receive a free Shuffle kit, including T-shirt and water bottle, the minimum pledge total is $40 (or $25 if you are a student). Your name will also be entered in the draw for prizes at the President’s Picnic.
- Shuffle 26 is going green by reducing printed promotional materials and encouraging Shufflers to register and fundraise online using the Shuffle website.
- On Shuffle day, extra Concordia shuttle buses are deployed to get Shufflers downtown to the starting line, and to return downtown after the President’s Picnic. Children are allowed on the shuttle bus on Shuffle day only.
- The daily parking charge for the Jesuit Residence, Terrebonne Ave. and Recreation and Athletics Complex parking lots on Loyola Campus is waived on Shuffle day.
- Money raised for the Concordia Shuffle initially went only toward undergraduate students but in later years graduate students also began to benefit.
- The event has grown to offer Shuffle-exclusive entrance scholarships, in-course bursaries and graduate awards.
- For the first Shuffle, a one-year-old brewery called McAuslan Brewing donated 100 T-shirts displaying the red seal of brand new St. Ambroise beer. The company’s founder is Peter McAuslan, BA 72.
- The Shuffle has won several national and international awards:
The first Shuffle took home silver in the Institutional Special Events category from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
In 1997, the Shuffle won a Prix D’Excellence gold in the Special Events category from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).
In 2014, concordiashuffle.ca took home a CCAE Prix D’Excellence bronze in the Best Website Category for the Shuffle 25… These Shoes Are Made for Giving site.
- The third Shuffle went backwards! To celebrate the opening of the J.W. McConnell Building, Shufflers walked from Loyola Campus to the new library building on Sir George Williams Campus.
- For the fifth Shuffle, a carnival with games and prizes awaited participants at Loyola Campus.
- Shuffle prizes have always kept up with the cutting edge of technology. Several bike radios were up for grabs at the 1994 Shuffle and some 1997 Shufflers won Audiovox cellular telephones, blank VHS cassettes and a one-year internet access subscription.
- Winning the most pledges in 1999 secured a Palm IIIx, an electronic agenda valued at $500. By the next year, the newer edition Palm Pilot 3XE was offered as the tempting prize.
- The ninth annual Shuffle started at the newly constructed greenspace located at De Maisonneuve Blvd. and Guy St.
- In the early years, the Shuffle ended with the Rector’s Reception on Loyola Campus. Heavy storms at the 10th annual Shuffle caused the crowd, estimated at 800 strong, to cram into Hingston Hall, turning the Rector’s Reception into what was described as one of the best informal parties on campus.
- In 1997, the first Shuffle Spirit Award went to the Physical Resources Department (now Facilities Management) for creating a Dr. Seuss-like scene with oversize hats, horns, kazoos and cowbells tied to their ankles.
- The Shuffle Spirit Award evolved into the Shuffler of the Year Award.
- Thanks to Foreman-Ideal Travel and Northwest Airline, the grand prize at the 2000 Shuffle was two airline tickets to anywhere in North America — and a cordless telephone.
- Hurricane Isabel was expected to hit 2003 Shufflers with stormy conditions, but the weather turned out to be pleasant for the walk.
- At the 2004 event, Shufflers enjoyed the President’s Picnic, newly renamed after the official title of Concordia’s top administrator changed from Rector to President earlier that year.
- At Shuffle 16, the most notable getaway prize was a Club Med vacation in Turks and Caicos Islands.
- In 2013, one Shuffler’s pedometer measured 8,600 steps along the 6.5-km route.
- With all the crowds and fun, it takes about two hours for everyone to complete the Shuffle.
- Run, skate, roll, push the stroller or walk the dog: the ways Shufflers choose to get their exercise has only increased over the years. Shuffle is the time to get creative!
- Some unique additions along the Shuffle route include: the annual Shuffle t-shirt, flower leis, feather boas, balloons, oversized sunglasses, wacky hats, wigs and an attention-stealing bee named Buzz.
- You can connect with the Shuffle on social media: like the Shuffle on Facebook and follow updates on Twitter. In recent years photo albums for each Shuffle are posted on Advancement and Alumni Relations’ Flickr page.
Register, sponsor and connect with other Shufflers on the Shuffle 26 website.
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