Operation Red Nose looking for New Year's Eve volunteers

A designated driver program is looking for volunteers to help ensure Manitobans get home safely this New Year’s Eve.

Operation Red Nose is a holiday season initiative that operates for free.

The way it works is that you call the Operation Red Nose headquarters and a three-person driving team will come to pick up you and your car. You will then be driven to your destination in your car and will be followed by an Operation Red Nose escort.

“We have one more night left of our campaign,” said Sharra Hinton, coordinator for Operation Red Nose Winnipeg.

“We started Nov. 24 and we’ve been working every weekend until Christmas and our last night will be on New Year’s Eve.”

Ahead of New Year’s Eve, the organization is looking for about 20 more volunteers to help keep the roads safe and prevent people from drinking and driving.

Hinton said this year the program has seen fewer volunteers and ride requests.

“Anybody who calls us we get them home, and we’ve been able to meet the demand,” she said.

“We’re there within 30 to 45 minutes.”

Those who would like to help out can sign up online. 

Anyone who wants to use the service can call their local headquarters to book a ride. Phone numbers can be found online. 

“It’s a great way to get around. You can go to the party, you can go to the family event when you want to go and then when you’re ready to go home, you just call us and we get you home,” Hinton said.