Festive fun for a good cause — Annual Santa Shuffle raises funds for Calgarians in need

More than 200 runners donned festive attire for the Salvation Army’s 35th annual Santa Shuffle Fun Run on Saturday morning, raising vital funds for families and individuals in need this holiday season.

The run is hosted in cities across Canada each year in partnership with the Running Room, and participants have the option of doing the 5K Fun Run or the 1K Elf Walk.

Bob McLeod, an envoy with the Salvation Army and one of the event’s organizers, has been involved with the run since the beginning.

“Long before they were handing out medals and T shirts, there was a bunch of us that got together and did this,” he said. “I’ve been involved for all 35 years.”

This year’s event, hosted at Confluence Plaza on St. Patrick’s Island, raised more than $10,000, he said, with 217 people registered.

“The funds go to support the Salvation Army programs,” he said. “This year, the toy program was really down, so I’m hoping we can put some funds towards the toy program for the less fortunate kids who may not get anything otherwise.”

Many participants come year after year, making it an annual event with their families or running groups.

“It’s very family-friendly,” he said. “It’s a good event for everybody.”

Saturday morning’s -20 degree wind chills were on the colder end of the spectrum of weather McLeod has seen at the run over the years.

“You never know what you’re gonna get,” he said. “This is the coldest day of this weekend — tomorrow’s gonna be almost zero again — so we picked the wrong day, apparently.”

But McLeod said the runners are “pretty hardy,” and will show up no matter the weather.

“They want to come out and do it,” he said. “People enjoy the cold — it kind of adds to the adventure.”

Race participant Ryan Herbert ran the 5K in a gingerbread man costume, which was made by his wife.

“The last three years has been a reindeer costume, and we decided, you know what, it needs a break,” he said.

The Santa Shuffle has become an annual tradition for them, he said, with this year being his fourth time participating. For him, it’s both a good time and a good cause.

“It’s a lot of fun — I’m addicted to running, so there is that,” he said. “I also have friends who have been dramatically helped by the Salvation Army, and so it really means a lot, too, to be able to support that organization.”

Donna Moore, who ran the 5K with some of her “run buds” from the Loose Laces run club in Airdrie, has lost count of how many years she’s participated.

“It’s a blast,” she said. Showing off her festive, Santa-themed leggings, she said, “Where else do you get to wear cool outfits like this, and see cool costumes like the gingerbread man?”

Raising money for a good cause, she said, also keeps her coming back.

“All the money collected, the donations collected, are going to local charities right here in the city, so that’s awesome to me,” she said.

Though there’s a clock at the finish line, she and her friends don’t keep track, she said.

“It’s just a fun one. We stop and take pictures along the routes, and talk to people and cheer each other on.”

The cold weather poses “a little more of a challenge,” she said. “But you put lots of layers on … you figure out how to dress for it.”

The Salvation Army’s longstanding partnership with the Running Room for the Santa Shuffle spans across Canada, with the Running Room planning out logistics like location and providing equipment.

Running Room event coordinator Michael Stasica said that, while there are many charity runs that happen each year, “some of them are perhaps closer to people’s hearts than than others might be —  and this is certainly one of them.”

The Running Room partners with a variety of charity runs, as well as cross-country events at schools, which Stasica said is a win-win.

Using the example of bringing equipment like the arch and a clock to schools for a “more official” race experience, he said, “it’s good publicity for us, but I used to be a kid at one point in time, and I used to have to go door-to-door selling chocolate-covered almonds to raise money to do things.

“If I’ve got equipment that I’m going to put up for two hours in a school playground area for them to do a cross-country race, it’s great for us, but it’s great for the children,” he said.

ddekuyper@postmedia.com