If you’ve got a busy weekend coming up and plan on having an ole' fashioned good time, there’s a way for you (and your vehicle) to get home safe.
Operation Red Nose will have 13 volunteer teams out on the road for Friday (Dec. 13) and another 18 teams on Saturday (Dec. 14) to provide safe rides home to Prince George party-goers on its third weekend of the 2019 season.
In 2018, on the same weekend, 19 teams delivered 119 rides on night #5, while 16 teams provided 125 rides on night #6.
The highest number of rides they have provided on Weekend #3 was in 2012 when 124 and 158 rides were provided respectively.
Operation Red Nose volunteers, along with Rudy the mascot, will be at Pine Centre Mall today (Thursday, Dec. 12) with ICBC staff, one of its program partners, handing out information to shoppers about ICBC’s Drive Smart campaign from 1 to 2:30 p.m. reminding everyone to drive safely on the road and in shopping centre parking lots.
Operation Red Nose still requires about 75 more volunteers, the equivalent of 25 road teams, to help out on New Year’s Eve to meet the demand for rides they expect, says spokesperson Andrea Johnson.
She adds historically in the last 10 years, Operation Red Nose has provided between 150 to 200 rides alone on New Year’s Eve and right now we don’t have enough teams to ensure everyone gets home safely.
Those interested in helping out can apply online at www.ornpg.ca.
Volunteers who’d like to be part of a road team must be 19 years old and have a valid B.C. driver’s license.
Road volunteers can be designated drivers (drive the client’s vehicle), navigators to work with the designated driver and escort drivers (transports the team from the client’s pickup location to the drop-off location.)
After four nights of service in 2019, Operation Red Nose has delivered 281 safe rides home.
Those who require a safe ride home can call 250-962-7433 between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Clients must have a vehicle with valid B.C. license plates.
All donations go towards youth and amateur sports organizations in Prince George.
