With the holiday season around the corner, Christmas parties, work events, and tons of festivities will begin.
Operation Red Nose ambassador and volunteer Jo Anne Dalton says it was founded 41 years ago in Quebec but came to La Broquerie and Steinbach 11 years ago.
“An organization that really aims to reduce traffic accidents, incidents of people on the road who shouldn't be on the road, maybe after holiday gatherings and festivities or just being really tired around this time of year or not comfortable driving in this kind of weather. The roads are starting to get slick.”
She explains that they are really unique in that they offer a ride service that gets you and your vehicle home safely.
“Right now, if you know you're having a holiday gathering, you can call us in advance, put us on standby, let us know that you're going to be doing that, so we know we have enough volunteers for that evening.”
Dalton says they are also calling out for volunteers and will need around 175 to 200 volunteers every year to make sure the program can run.
“Teams of three or four, you and a friend and an escort all jump in a vehicle, get to ride around together between 9:00 pm and 2:00 am on those nights.”
Operation Red Nose La Broquerie and Steinbach fundraise and recruit volunteers separately from Operation Red Nose St. Malo, but they work together to make sure everyone gets home safe.
“If we pick someone up in our region, which is sort of Steinbach, La Broquerie, Blumenort, Friedensfeld, Giroux, Kleefeld, kind of all around there. Landmark, Marchand, Ste. Anne, all the way to Sarto,” Dalton explains. “But then kind of where our border cuts off, we're not just going to leave you on the side of the road with your car. We're going to connect with St. Malo, or you can connect with them first if you're coming into Steinbach and we'll make sure you get either transferred or that we're just in conversation to make sure that ride happens all the way through.”
This program does not run without support from businesses who step up to make sure the southeast is safe during the holiday season and the Operation Red Nose team is working on getting those sponsors.
“A lot of the same businesses step up every year, either to put in a team of volunteers or to make sure that we know that about their holiday parties and they're using the service, and they want to make donations. Or to sponsor food for our volunteers. There are so many different ways that our sponsors can get involved or people can get involved as businesses or individuals that really we're very grateful for the team and the local community we have here.”
Sign up as a volunteer through their website, or call 204-424-9555.
“We have daycares who volunteer. We have the fire department who volunteer. We have a lot of organizations, Golden West who volunteer as a group and then we just have a lot of singles. Me and a friend always volunteer, and we always get partnered up with another couple or another pair and then we have a really good time, and we meet people and it's a lot of fun.”
It is a free ride service, but donations are welcome, and all funds will go towards a new play structure in La Broquerie.
Operation Red Nose starts on November 30 and will run all Fridays and Saturdays in December, as well as New Year’s Eve.
Get home safe this season!
Operation Red Nose La Broquerie and Steinbach:
Beginning November 30
Operationrednosesteinbachlabroquerie.ca/wp/
204-424-9555
Operation Red Nose St. Malo:
Beginning November 29
204-347-5518
With files from Dave Anthony