It’s Shuffle-tastic! Concordia's blockbuster walkathon raises $108,000 to support students

More than 600 Concordians joined forces at Shuffle 29. Through the annual inter-campus walkathon on September 28, they raised a whopping $108,000 — and counting! — for student scholarships and bursaries.

All the cheerful Shufflers convened during the President’s Picnic at Loyola Campus following the Shuffle.

“Thank you — you all help lighten the financial burden for our students,” said Roger Coté, Concordia’s vice-president of Services and co-chair of the Shuffle 29 Advisory Committee.

His fellow co-chair Lisa Ostiguy, special advisor to the provost on Campus Life, agreed. “I work with students every day and see firsthand the impact of financial awards to encourage students and keep them in school until they graduate.”

Since 1990, the Shuffle has raised over $1.6 million. More than 800 students have benefitted from Shuffle awards, including Kimberly Slakmon and Rebecca Garner, who attended the picnic and shared their stories with Shufflers.

Former Stingers women's hockey coach Les Lawton — who suffered a stroke in 2015, and Shuffled last year with the help of a walker — made it this year using only a cane. He surpassed his goal and raised an impressive $8,606. A scholarship was created in his honour called the Coach’s Award. Read the CBC Radio report on his inspiring story.

Shuffle honours

The 2018 Shuffler of the Year Award went to long-time Shuffler Jerry Haikalis, manager and co-host of the Audio Penpals Show on CJLO.

The top10 online fundraisers were Les Lawton ($8,606), Danielle Tessier ($7,279), Sally Craig ($1,740), Charles Altman ($1,600), Christabell Moyo ($1,080), Andrea Renaud ($1,000), Monika Gagnon ($1,000), Ann McLaughlin ($915), Anna Barrafato ($775) and Guylaine Lemay ($751).

The top online fundraising team was Team Chen ($5,735). Uniting Concordians from across the university, the team was named in honour of Chen Feng Huang, retired associate director of the Institute for Co-operative Education, who passed away in July 2018.

A special guest

Participants also welcomed a very special Shuffler this year — Gina Cody, MEng 81, PhD 89, who made history four days earlier with her landmark $15-million gift to our engineering faculty, now known as the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Shuffle 29 marked the launch of Concordia’s 2018-19 Community Campaign, our university’s annual fundraising campaign in support of teaching, research and student life.

Funds raised through Shuffle count toward the Campaign for Concordia: Next-Gen. Now, the university’s most ambitious fundraising campaign ever. The walkathon is organized by Concordia’s Advancement and Alumni Relations and a team of dedicated volunteers.