Operation Red Nose for Mission-Abbotsford begins this weekend, providing a sober designated driver for people who have had a little too much holiday cheer.
The free service, which relies on donations and volunteers, allows an inebriated person to call and have two or more ORN volunteers show up in a car. One volunteer drives the customer's car home while the second one trails in the ORN vehicle.
It's a safe means of getting home in one piece without leaving the car behind.
ORN Mission-Abbotsford is being run by PacificSport Fraser Valley, the organization to first bring the program to B.C. 16 years ago.
Since then, 11 more programs have been formed to bring ORN to over 25 other communities in the province. ORN is the annual fundraiser for PacificSport and donations are used to develop and deliver sport programs and services throughout the Fraser Valley. Half of all donations go directly to regional high-performance athletes in the form of travel and performance grants twice yearly.
Last year ORN Mission-Abbotsford provided 842 safe rides home totalling 24,000 kilometres, according to coordinator Christine Scott in Abbotsford.
The program goal this year is to reach 1,000 safe rides. While the service is free, donations help.
The service begins this weekend, Nov. 25 and 26, and continues through Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and 31. All hours of operation are from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
In Mission-Abbotsford call 604-864-4814, or in Ridge-Meadows call 604-515-NOSE. You can also call toll free at 1-877-604-NOSE.
For more information about ORN, visit www.operationrednose.com or call 604-746-0601.