EDMONTON — It’s an annual event that’s perhaps one of the most festive of the season. The Santa Shuffle was held in Hawrelak Park Saturday morning.
Now in its 25th year, the Santa Shuffle raises funds for the Salvation Army. Participants, most of whom dress up for the occasion, took part in a one-kilometre elf walk or a five-kilometre fun run.
“It’s an exciting morning,” said John Stanton, founder of the Running Room. “The Salvation Army is always there for people. It’s a great community resource for people, whether it’s a flood or disaster of some sort. The Salvation Army people are always first there.
“At Christmastime there’s so much need that it’s a great time for the (Salvation) Army to have that extra income come in.”
The Santa Shuffle started as a single race in Edmonton in 1990. It became a national event in 2001 and is now held in 41 cities across Canada.
“It’s always about team work, and success is never one person,” Stanton said of the success of the race.
About 700 people were expected to take part in Saturday’s event. They were in luck as temperatures hovered just below the freezing mark. During the 2013 run, the wind chill made it feel like -40C at race time.
Last year, the Santa Shuffle brought in $300,000 for the Salvation Army.
Global Edmonton’s Nancy Carlson hosted and took part in the event.
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