Operation Red Nose Winnipeg is part of a National program developed to promote responsible drinking with the awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving to help keep the streets safe for everyone during the Holiday Season. The program is based on a very simple premise -- provide clients a FREE ride home in their own vehicle. Although there is no charge for the service, satisfied clients often
offer donations to the Drive Team that drove them home. The Operation Red Nose program is based on a very simply idea – get people who had been drinking home safe and sound in their own vehicle. In 1984, Jean-Marie De Konick was the head coach for the swim team at Laval University in Quebec City. Wanting to provide bursaries for student athletes, he was looking for an original way to raise funds for his team. One day he was listening to a radio show about the serious problems caused by impaired driving. At that time, statistics showed that more than 50% of fatal crashed were caused by motorist who had consumed alcohol. On the program, a bartender shared a disturbing trend he had noticed at the bar where he worked – At closing time, many customers didn’t want to take a cab home and leave their vehicles behind. He’d get his swimmers to drive motorists who had been drinking home in their own vehicles. With the collaboration of the Quebec City Municipal Police and CHRC radio station, the very first Operation Red Nose campaign ran from December 13, to 23, 1984. Needless to say, that first campaign was an amazing success and Operation Red Nose has continued every Holiday Season since. One simple fundraising idea has grown into a complete road safety campaign that benefits everyone. Today, more than 100 organizations across Canada benefit from the proceeds of Operation Red Nose. Each year, more than $1,200,000 is redistributed to non-profit youth organizations or amateur sports organizations. From the very beginning, Operation Red Nose adopted a philosophy that enabled it to gain the trust and respect of the population. The organization does not encourage nor condone those who choose to have a drink. Rather, the message ‘don’t drive if you have been drinking’ is conveyed in a humorous and non-judgemental way. Operation Red Nose’s preventative approach is an excellent complement to the more repressive measures of the law. Objectives of Operation Red Nose:
Awareness: To make the public award of the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. Education: To make the public more conscious of its responsibilities toward motorists who drive while impaired. Information: To use the opportunity provided by the Operation Red Nose campaign to inform the public of relevant information and statistics related to impaired driving. Prevention: To readily make a free volunteer driver service available to those who have been drinking or who do not feel fit to drive their own vehicle. Support of youth: all donations and cash sponsorship must be allocated to a local non-profit youth organization, preferably involved in amateur sports. The Winnipeg Connection:
In 1995, the Winnipeg-based Manta Swim Club, like the swim team at Laval University, was looking for a unique way to raise money for its swimmers. It saw the Operation Red Nose program as a great service they could provide to the community and help support their athletes at the same time. The Club has successfully hosted the Operation Red Nose program in the City since its start in 1995. Managing the campaign each season and working with local sponsors and corporate and community volunteers, Operation Red Nose Winnipeg has successfully completed more than 20,000 rides and helped 48,000 Holiday party-goers get home safe and sound! The Program has raised more than $425,000 since 1995 for the Manta Swim Club which has been used to continue the growth of the swimming program. The continued success of the Club’s training program has produced countless athletes that complete at the local, provincial, national and international level. These athletes excel in school and other activities with many continuing their swimming careers in university and going onto coach the next generation. Since 2007, Manta Swim Club athletes have received a combined athletic and academic scholarship total more than $1,5 million. Add in the 12,750 volunteers working more 98,600 hours and you see just how many lives we have touched over the past 18 years.
