West Chester Twp. Director of Public Information and Engagement Barb Wilson said the township is glad the event will be returning soon.
“The township will welcome Shamrock Shuffle back in 2024,” Wilson told the Journal-News. “It’s always been a wonderful signature event in the community and we’re pleased it will be back supporting another worthy organization.”
The Shamrock Shuffle hosts 3,000-5,000 participants annually at The Square @ Union Centre in West Chester Twp., raising upwards of $65,000 each year.
“We are thrilled to pass The Shamrock Shuffle on to EDGE,” said Erin Clemons, Northern Cincinnati Foundation president & CEO said, adding EDGE Executive Director Sara Gabbard and her organization are an excellent choice to carry on the tradition. “The event has a long history in this area, and we are confident Sara and her team at EDGE will carry it forward with great success.”
Since its inception, proceeds from The Shamrock Shuffle have helped fund the Foundation’s operations as well as grants to local nonprofits and participating Charity Teams. Recent growth and a shift in focus has allowed the Northern Cincinnati Foundation to become self-sustaining and carry out their mission without the need for annual fundraising efforts, according to Clemons.
After a scaled-back Shuffle in September 2021, following a two-year pandemic hiatus, the Foundation made the decision to seek an alternative home for the event with a local non-profit organization.
“The Shamrock Shuffle has been a great event for us and the whole community, and we knew it could continue to make a positive impact going forward,” said Clemons. “We were seeking an organization with whom we’ve had a longstanding relationship, who was focused on sustainability, and who we knew would use the event to make tangible difference in the community. EDGE Teen Center was the perfect fit.”
While The Shamrock Shuffle won’t be back in 2023, planning efforts at EDGE are already underway for a bigger and better event in 2024, the announcement reads. Participants can expect the event to run much the same way it has in recent years, including the popular Shuffle Gives Back Charity Team program that allows participants to create teams and raise funds for their own causes with a portion of each team member registration.
“Creating a spirit of volunteerism and community service is at the core of what we teach teens at EDGE,” Gabbard said. “We are excited to support so many of our non-profit partners through charity teams. With an event like the Shamrock Shuffle, the whole community wins.”
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