15°c Overcast
11°c Cloudy with clear breaks
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Red Nose helps you be responsible
Back for its 17th year, program looking to recruit volunteers
Judy Murphy says volunteers are 'saving lives every day.' (BRUCE BUMSTEAD / BRANDON SUN)
OPERATION Red Nose will return for its 17th year in the province with the focus on recruiting volunteers to transport revellers who don't want to drink and drive.
Judy Murphy, president of Safety Services Manitoba, said Operation Red Nose needs about 500 volunteers in Winnipeg and about 1,800 across the province.
"Any new volunteers are welcome," Murphy said. "The people who volunteer for Operation Red Nose are saving lives every day."
This year, with added funding from Manitoba Public Insurance ($35,000 to $90,000), more effort will be made to promote Operation Red Nose and recruit volunteers. Volunteers require a criminal background check.
"Volunteers have a good time doing this," Murphy said. "It's a lot more fun than people might initially think."
Drinkers are offered a safe ride home with the bonus of having their vehicle driven home by an Operation Red Nose volunteer. The service is provided free, with donations accepted. All money raised supports various youth sporting programs.
"Part of the reason it takes so many is that they go out in teams of three, so there's two people in the car with the client and then there's another person driving a car behind that so the other two can get back," Murphy said. "So every time one calls Operation Red Nose, that's three people out on the road."
Besides MPI, Manitoba Telecom Services supplies telecommunications for the program throughout the province. In Winnipeg, MTS cellphone users can dial #NOSE for Red Nose service.
The service starts in Winnipeg and most other communities Friday, Nov. 25 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and wraps up on New Year's Eve. Other participating communities are Brandon, Flin Flon, Gimli, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, The Pas and Thompson.
This season Arborg and Riverton have been added
To volunteer, go to the Safety Services Manitoba's website.
-- staff
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 19, 2011 B2
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 32 articles for today)
PST hike a 'difficult decision' but necessary, NDP official says
12:33 PM 0View Related
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Overnight stabbings probed
- City's first urban reserve born
- Infamous, chronic pedophile declines to seek parole
- Premier defends PST hike at NDP convention
- Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City's first urban reserve born
- The end of the credit card?
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Unjust justice: Still no aboriginal court in Manitoba
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- MTS becomes takeover target
- SCU pulls Bill 18 petition
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- You can bet the farm on housebarns
- City's first urban reserve born
- Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Former CEO 'disappointed' Allstream leaves Manitoba
- Overnight stabbings probed
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- City's first urban reserve born
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.