THUNDER BAY - With the festive season just around the corner, bringing after work gatherings and late night parties, the always popular ride program is back to ensure everyone has a happy holiday season.
Operation Red Nose, hosted by St. John Ambulance, is back for its ninth year, providing free rides home to anyone who is impaired and unable to drive. This year the program will begin on Nov. 24 and 25 and run every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Dec. 30.
Diana Sustawenko, executive director with St. John Ambulance, said the annual ride service has become somewhat of a staple in the community.
“People have become very used to calling Operation Red Nose throughout the holiday season and I think that’s really important because the whole goal of Operation Red Nose is to keep impaired drivers off the road during the holiday season,” she said.
Last year the service provided 774 rides and the 170 volunteers travelled more than 13,550 kilometres.
For the Thunder Bay Police Service, the ride service provides a great service to the community and helps to reduce what is an already growing problem in the city of Thunder Bay.
“Unfortunately, impaired driving isn’t a declining stat within our community,” said acting traffic Sgt. Bill Pollock. “Last year we arrested 178 impaired drivers throughout 2016 together. Operation Red Nose allows people a different chance to get home without causing jeopardy on our road ways.”
It is something young people should especially take advantage of, Pollock added, with motor vehicle collisions being the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 16 and 25-years-old in Ontario, and 55 per cent involving impaired driving.
While the service is free, donations are accepted and last year, more than $14,000 was raised from donations, with additional sponsorships bringing that total up to $23,000.
The money raised is used for youth programs at the local St. John’s Ambulance, including the car seat inspection program, the grade 3 and 6 safety education program, the youth group, and the Paws for Stories therapy dog program.
But the only thing that keeps Operation Red Nose on the road every year is the team of dedicated volunteers, including people like Linda Hoard, who has volunteered for the last eight years.
“I thought it was a good cause at the time,” she said of deciding to volunteer. “Over the years as I volunteered, it’s become a better cause.”
“The people are so happy and so grateful that you are doing this, that the service is available to them,” she continued. “That makes me very happy.”
Volunteer opportunities for dispatchers, phone operators, and drivers are still available and anyone interested in volunteering can visit www.rednosetbay.com or call 345-1712 ext. 2.
“We are always looking for volunteers,” Sustawenko said. “The key here is the more volunteers we get the more safe rides home we can deliver over the holiday season.”
“It’s a very rewarding volunteer situation and it’s more fun than you think it will be,” Hoard added. “Everybody gets along, you get assigned to a group, people are always very welcoming. It’s very nice. It’s a great feeling.”
To find your safe ride home this season, call 683-NOSE (6673).
