As the holiday season kicks into high gear, people will be plenty busy partying and celebrating in the festive atmosphere.
And like it has for several years now, Operation Red Nose and the hundreds of volunteers are preparing your sleigh ride home if you get a little too carried away.
After a record-breaking season last year, Red Nose is back for the 2015 season offering rides in the Tri-Cities, Burnaby and New Westminster.
This year, the service will run the four weekends before Christmas and New Year’s Eve – Nov. 27 and 28, Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 and 31. The service starts at 9 p.m. and runs until 3 a.m.
“We’re trying to makes sure we’re doing everything we can to provide a convenient alternative to allow [people] to get home,” said Operation Red Nose coordinator Chris Wilson.
Last year, the service provided 1,011 rides between the three communities and raised $32,940 for KidSport.
It was an overall record-breaking year, but Wilson acknowledged Operation Red Nose hasn’t grown as much as he’d like to see in Burnaby and New Westminster.
While Operation Red Nose is entering its ninth year in the Tri-Cities, it expanded to include Burnaby and New Westminster in 2012.
Wilson suggested part of the challenge is most of the organizing committee is based out of the Tri-Cities, adding the organization could to do a better job of reaching out to Burnaby and New Westminster.
“We could grow a lot more if we were able to get some movers and shakers from those two cities involved in our committee,” Wilson said, adding the organization has had a good response getting volunteers and calls for the service in the two communities.
Operation Red Nose uses a team of volunteers to drive people and their cars home, for a donation. Volunteers work in teams of three, with two driving the client in the client’s vehicle and the third following behind in another vehicle.
The money from donations goes toward KidSport and gets divided by the rides in each community.
Wilson said each year Operation Red Nose continues to grow, noting the large amount of young people under the age of 25 using the service.
“We think this is a great program because you get your car home and the money goes to charity,” he said.
Last year, Operation Red Nose had 280 volunteers over the course of the campaign, but Wilson noted the service could use about 350.
If you’re interested in volunteering, go to operation rednosetricities.com for more information.
For a ride, call 778-866-6673.
