Residents of Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Yorkton, and The Battlefords will have another option to get home safe after a night out during the holiday season, because Operation Red Nose is back after two years off the road.
Volunteers will don their red vests and will be ready to drive people home in their own vehicles, so you don’t even have to worry about picking it up the next day. It’s a free service, but donations are welcomed, and they will be handed over to local non-profit organizations with a mission to support youth or amateur sports initiatives. SGI is a sponsor again this year, and has been a support since its inception in this province in 2009. The Saskatoon Millennium Lions Club is organizing Operation Red Nose in this city with proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House and the Saskatoon Speedskating Club.
The service begins the weekend of November 25th and continues every Friday and Saturday night through December 17th, and then again on New Year’s Eve. Saskatoon Police Service Deputy Chief Randy Huisman says the impaired numbers dropped between 2021 and 2022, and he believes it’s because programs like this work. He adds that stop check programs and the younger generations having more involvement around designated drivers and the public education done in schools really helps drive the numbers down.
In Canada, 75 communities will have this safe ride service this year. The other local host organizations in Saskatchewan are Prince Albert Lions Club, KidSport Battlefords and the Kinsmen Club of Yorkton. For more information, click here.
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