FILE PHOTO
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Operation Red Nose
December 22, 2021 - 10:58 AM
Operation Red Nose will not be finishing the 2021 campaign in Kamloops due to the new COVID restrictions from B.C's public health officials.
The volunteer-based organization has been picking up holiday partygoers in Kamloops for 25 years, where all rides are by donation and funds go to support amateur athletes.
The campaign was 11 days into the 13-day annual holiday operation.
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Program coordinator Elsa Poppleton said she and her team are feeling positive despite the cancellation.
“We are grateful to have been able to provide our service this season,” she said. “We operated successfully for 11 nights to ensure citizens in our community arrived home safely, and brought in funds for a great cause. We are proud we provided 339 safe rides home.”
Poppleton said the Quebec National office also made the decision to cancel all operations for the remainder of the year due to the growing concerns around the Omicron variant.
“As always, prevention, safety, and caution are at the heart of Operation Red Nose’s mission and values which is why we have had to make this difficult decision,” she said. "We want to encourage everyone to find safe rides home and source other driving service companies."
The New Year's services on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 are also cancelled.
Poppleton said she is very grateful for all of the volunteers who dedicated evenings to the operation this year and to all of the sponsors who continue to support the campaign.
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