Operation Red Nose is officially back on the road in Kamloops, launching its annual safe-ride service last weekend—and organizers are optimistic that usage will pick up as the calendar turns to December.
“So far, so good,” said local coordinator Lucas Sweet ahead of the service’s second weekend. “We have a lot of volunteers who have signed up, and so we have a lot of teams on the road. We’re just looking for people to use the service.”
Sweet said the first weekend is typically a “sleepy” one as residents ease into the holiday season. But the weeks ahead are historically the busiest for the volunteer-run designated-driver program, which transports people and their vehicles home safely.
“We’re hoping that now that people kind of know that it’s running again, the service will get used,” Sweet said.
Strong Volunteer Support
Operation Red Nose relies entirely on volunteers—and this year, the Kamloops community has stepped up once again.
“We have around 100 volunteers, which is pretty on par with the last couple of years,” said Sweet. “This year, we’re really fortunate because a lot of our volunteers are doing multiple nights… For the busy weekends that are coming up, we are really full with volunteers, which is great. That way we can make sure that everyone who calls in gets a ride home, plus the waits ideally are not too long.”
Supporting Local Athletes
While the service is free, donations are encouraged. All funds raised support PacificSport Interior BC, a local non-profit that helps young athletes—from early sport participation all the way to elite competition.
“They have a program called Playground to Podium,” Sweet explained. “They help get kids into sports at a young age, and then they support amateur athletes through the training process and through competitions, up to high-level competition—including our local gold medal athletes Greg Stewart and Ethan Katzberg.”
On a typical year, Operation Red Nose Kamloops raises around $30,000, though totals vary depending on how many rides volunteers complete.
When to Call
The service runs every Friday and Saturday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., and will also operate on New Year’s Eve, marking the final night of the campaign. In total, there are 11 nights of operation—two already completed, nine still to come.
Rides are provided first-come, first-served, and appointments aren’t available.
“We start answering the phone at 8 p.m.,” Sweet said. “Especially on the busier weekends around that midnight–one o’clock time, we can back up a little bit. So I always recommend if you know you’re leaving your party in an hour, give us a call and see what the wait time is.”
A Simple Message
Above all, Sweet says people shouldn’t hesitate to reach out—no explanations required.
“We don’t really ask a reason. If you feel like you should not be driving home, just give us a call and we’ll give you a ride,” he said.
Operation Red Nose Kamloops can be reached at 250-372-5110.
