THUNDER BAY -- Operation Red Nose is off to a positive start this holiday season.
The seasonal campaign raises money for St. John Ambulance by offering rides to holiday party goers who may have had too much to drink. Unlike a cab service, Operation Red Nose has volunteers drive your own vehicle home for you.
While the campaign has seen fewer calls so far this season, the initiative is ahead in terms of donation.
Operation Red Nose has provided 226 rides so far this season, which is only 30 rides behind last year’s pace. This weekend coming up is seen as a particularly busy one for the campaign.
St. John Ambulance Funds Development Coordinator Jennifer McKeown told CKPR Radio that the goal is to have volunteers provide 1,000 rides before the campaign wraps up.
But there is one issue that is causing Red Nose some problems -- insurance. Many people believe that Red Nose is a taxi service, but it is instead a chauffeur service.
This means volunteers will be driving other people’s vehicles, and those people require proper insurance.
(CKPR Radio)
