Ring in the New Year with all sorts of characters — and probably a chuckle or two — by volunteering with Operation Red Nose.
So far this holiday season volunteers have given thousands of rides home to revellers looking for safe transportation, but more are needed for what is expected to be the busiest night of the season.
"We've had an excellent turnout of volunteers this year," said Chris Wilson, the provincial spokesperson for Operation Red Nose (ORN), in a release. "But we always see a much higher need for rides on New Year's Eve and therefore could use many more teams of volunteers specifically for this night."
Volunteers help out on everything from answering the phones and scheduling pick-ups and drop-offs to the three-person teams of navigators and drivers who transport motorists and their vehicles home.
Wilson says it's a positive way to close out the year and welcome a new one, meeting fellow volunteers and plenty of partiers who are amusingly effusive in expressing their gratitude for a safe ride home.
The service is by donation and 100% of funds raised goes to KidSport, an organization that helps kids from low-income families participate in sports.
Application forms are available at www.operationrednose.com; a criminal record check is required so anyone interested in volunteering for New Year's Eve is encouraged to act as soon as possible.
And if you're planning a night out to celebrate be sure to plan for a safe ride home as well by keeping the ORN number handy: 1-877-604-NOSE.
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