The volunteers and organizers behind the local chapter of Operation Red Nose, based out of St. Malo, have announced that they will not be running the program this upcoming December.
Operation Red Nose is a volunteer-based national program that acts as a formal designated driver service, providing safe rides for Manitobans throughout the holidays. The St. Malo chapter had been running for the last two years.
According to a news release, program coordinator Charmaine Gosselin says the decision not to operate in 2020 was a difficult one.
“The safety of our volunteers and clients is our number one priority, especially during this pandemic,” Gosselin says. “Maintaining social distancing in vehicles and ensuring a safe environment for volunteers and clients would be nearly impossible. And while we want to continue to prevent driving under the influence, we trust that many Manitobans will be limiting their social functions this season.”
During the 2019 campaign, Gosselin says that ride donations and sponsorships helped cover the program’s operating expenses, which exceeded $20,000. Also, 484 individual people were provided ride services while 260 separate vehicles got home safely.
“This news may not be surprising, but we are still very sad that we won’t get to organize this wonderful event,” Gosselin says. “We’ve been looking forward to working with our sponsors again and gathering with the hundreds of volunteers for fun-filled evenings, while ensuring safe rides for southeastern Manitobans.”
Drivers who volunteered during the 2019 season travelled to 15 different towns in the local catchment area on an average ride night, and donations and sponsorships helped St. Malo’s Iberville Hall renovate its kitchen into a full commercial kitchen, including the purchase of new round tables and chairs.
“We fully plan to resume in 2021, as we hope this will only be a one-year pause,” Gosselin adds. “While our volunteer-run service is free, the donations go toward the community hall in St. Malo. And so our goal will be to continue to fundraise for the improvements required at St. Malo’s Iberville Hall for the following years.”
