Operation Red Nose forced off the road due to driver shortage
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/11/2023 (1022 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A lack of drivers for Brandon’s Operation Red Nose means the organization has had to cancel the first week of service — and is dangerously close to cancelling the remainder of the season.
Earlier this week, the organization expressed concerns about having to cancel the free designated driver service because of a shortage of volunteer drivers, and by Friday the concerns had materialized.
“Honestly, if by this time or even [the] middle of next week, we don’t get a team stepping up or even solo volunteers … we might have to scrap the entire campaign,” said Frank McGwire, the organization’s media director.
The organization does have some volunteers scheduled for upcoming weekends, but the program is cancelled this weekend. Operation Red Nose programs in Selkirk and Thunder Bay have also had to cancel this year, McGwire said.
The plan was to run the program this Friday and Saturday, four weekends in December and New Year’s Eve, with calls accepted between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. on operation nights.
McGwire blames the driver shortage on concerns around COVID-19, as the program involves transfer of people into cars, and other volunteer commitments that can leave people spread thin. Another possible factor is that the organization has recently started requiring volunteers to complete a criminal record check, but those costs are reimbursed.
“It’s strange, because 25 years into Operation Red Nose, it’s a proven option for people to get home safe during the holiday celebrations,” McGwire said.
If the program does have to be cancelled for the season, McGwire says the community will miss out on its benefits — keeping the roads safer during the holiday season and receiving donations from participants in the program, which are usually allocated to local youth sport groups.
“We just cross our fingers and hope we get a few more people stepping up in the next days and weeks,” McGwire said. “And hopefully we have a successful campaign for 2023.”
To become a volunteer, application forms can be picked up at CAA Brandon, 305 18th St. North, from Murray Chevrolet Cadillac, 1500 Richmond Ave., or from Western Nations Gas Bar, 1725 18th St. North.
Applicants are also asked to complete a criminal record check form and drop it, along with two pieces of photocopied identification — one that’s government-issued with your picture — at Brandon Police Service, 1020 Victoria Ave.
For more information on Operation Red Nose, visit bitly.ws/32Xpz
» gmortfield@brandonsun.com