Operation Red Nose will begin for the 2022 season on Friday, November 25. (SAFETY SERVICES MANITOBA)
After a two-year pandemic hiatus, Operation Red Nose will be back on the road this holiday season.
Safety Services Manitoba and Manitoba Public Insurance launched the 2022 seasonal campaign on Friday, which relies on volunteers to take holiday revellers back home safely to prevent drinking and driving.
“The 2022 campaign will be the 26th year that Operation Red Nose has run in Manitoba and the first year of service since 2019, due to the pandemic disruption,” said Ron Janzen, president and CEO of Safety Services Manitoba.
“Hundreds of volunteers in our nine participating communities along with provincial and local sponsors make offering this program a success year after year.”
Rides are provided free of charge, but donations are gladly accepted and go toward various youth programs in Manitoba. A team of three volunteers responds to a call and drives the patron home in their own vehicle, while another person follows to drive the volunteers back to the ORN office.
“Impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of road fatalities in our province and MPI is proud to support Operation Red Nose as a safe and dependable option to help Manitobans make responsible decisions during the holiday season,” said Eric Herbelin, president and CEO of MPI.
In Winnipeg, patrons can call (204) 957-NOSE (6673). You can also download the Operation Red Nose mobile app for either iOS or Android.
Operation Red Nose provides more than 4,000 safe rides every holiday season.
ORN will begin service provincewide on Friday, November 25 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and end on New Year’s Eve. To find a community ride, visit rednosemb.ca.
