Operation Red Nose will begin for the 2023 season on Friday, November 24. (FILE)
WINNIPEG — A safe ride home this holiday season is only one phone call away.
Operation Red Nose kicked off its annual campaign Friday, which operates the designated driver service from late November up until New Year’s Eve in communities across Manitoba.
“Operation Red Nose is an important community program for Manitoba’s road safety every holiday season and we are proud to facilitate this on behalf of Manitoba Public Insurance and our supporting partners,” says Ron Janzen, president and CEO of Safety Services Manitoba, the organization that runs the program.
“The 2023 campaign will be the 27th year that Operation Red Nose has run in Manitoba. Hundreds of volunteers in our participating communities along with provincial and local sponsors make offering this program a success year after year.”
While the service is offered free of charge, donations are gladly accepted and all money raised supports various community-based youth programs.
From November 24 to December 31, those in need of a ride home in Winnipeg can call (204) 947-NOSE (6673) to connect with the Red Nose Hotline between 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
A team of three volunteers will respond, with two people accompanying the caller in their own vehicle home with another volunteer following in an escort vehicle.
Other communities participating this year include Brandon, Flin Flon, Gimli, Portage la Prairie, La Broquerie/Steinbach, Saint-Malo, Shilo, The Pas and Thompson.
More than 4,000 Manitobans call Operation Red Nose annually for a safe ride home.
