One Lap to Run. One More to Cheer. Four Years to Remember. 

By Simran Rambhia

It started with a small group from Booth University College. 

In 2023, they signed up for The Salvation Army’s Santa Shuffle in Winnipeg, ready for a fun day outside the classroom and a chance to support a cause close to their community. They came together to run. They kept coming back for something more. 

For the group, the Santa Shuffle is about more than completing a 5K. It is a chance to step outside the building, spend time together and support The Salvation Army’s work in Winnipeg all while having a little fun along the way. 

And their group grows every year. 

“This will be our fourth ‘Fun Run’! I’m so glad we decided to be a part of it. We anticipate it with a smile every year. It’s part of our Christmas joy!” – Paul Brown

What began with a handful of participants has grown into a group that welcomes experienced runners, first-timers and everyone in between. The goal is not to be the fastest. It is to show up, encourage one another, and enjoy the day. 

One member of the group takes that encouragement to a step further. 

Each year, one of the group’s more experienced runners completes the course twice. After finishing the first 5K, they turn around and run another 5K not to chase a faster time, but to return to the course and cheer on their teammates. 

One lap to run. One more to cheer. 

That spirit of encouragement is what makes the Santa Shuffle special for the Booth University College community. It is not about who crosses the finish line first. It is about who is beside you when you get there. 

On race day, the Sturgeon Creek course becomes a meeting place for people of all ages and walks of life. Costumed mascots, dedicated volunteers, runners in serious race gear and participants dressed in festive costumes all come together for the same purpose: to support the work of The Salvation Army in Winnipeg. 

For the Booth University College group, some of the best moments happen between the start and finish. 

There are festive costumes and costumed mascots. Dedicated volunteers line the event. Some runners arrive in serious running gear, while others embrace the season from head to toe. First-timers find encouragement from seasoned runners, and friends become cheerleaders for one another.  

Then, when the running is done, the day continues around a hot lunch near the finish line. 

It is these simple moments that have turned the Santa Shuffle into something the group anticipates every autumn. 

Four years after that first run, the group is still growing and still showing up. 

Their story is a reminder that traditions do not always begin with a big plan. Sometimes, they start with a small group saying, “Let’s do this,” and come back the following year. 

Then again. 

And again. 

Until a fun run becomes a tradition, a tradition becomes a community gathering, and a few runners become part of something much bigger. 

This December, the Santa Shuffle will once again bring Winnipeg together for a morning of movement, laughter, connection and giving one festive step at a time.