The local Operation Red Nose chapter has wrapped up its 2018 campaign, delivering nearly 1,000 rides in the process.
On New Year’s Eve, 97 volunteers delivered 157 safe rides home with 24 road teams.
Combined with the 802 rides already provided in the last four weekends of the holiday season, that’s a total of 959 rides delivered by 197 volunteers.
“We’re quite happy with how New Year’s Eve unfolded,” says Andrea Johnson, Operation Red Nose spokesperson, in a press release. “The longest wait times were one hour at most and our teams managed to keep up with the demand for rides we experienced from midnight to 3 a.m. We appreciate the patience of everyone who called us for a ride as our volunteer teams navigated their way through the snowy weather.”
The 959-ride total ranks among their fifth-best season in the organization’s 21-year history.
“We really could not have done this without the support of all of our volunteers, some of whom were with us all nine nights, our clients, our partners and our sponsors,” says Johnson. “We really appreciate their dedication.”
Operation Red Nose is organized by the Rotary Club of Prince George Nechako, in partnership with ICBC and the Prince George RCMP. All donations received from clients go directly toward youth and amateur sport organizations in Prince George.
Provincially, Prince George is one of 11 communities in B.C. who offers the service. Throughout the province, 3,166 volunteers drove 5,204 motorists who reached out for a safe ride home.
Kamloops gave the most rides home in the province with 1,313, followed by Prince George’s 959. Chilliwack was third with 532 rides.
Nationally, 73,150 Canadians got home safely between Nov. 30 and Dec. 31.
