This holiday season plan for a safe ride home

Operation Red nose - Call us, we'll drive you in your own car for free.

PITT MEADOWS, BC, Nov. 4 /CNW/ - Again this year, Operation Red Nose, ICBC and CTV - supported by thousands of dedicated volunteers - will make sure partygoers and their cars get home safely.

During the holiday season, Operation Red Nose invites you to celebrate responsibly and plan a safe ride home by designating a sober driver, staying overnight, calling a relative, a cab or Operation Red Nose. This year again, thousands of volunteers will allow impaired motorists to get home safe in their own vehicles for free. In British Columbia, the service will be offered from November 27th to December 31st in 11 communities: Abbotsford/Mission, Chilliwack, Delta/Richmond, Kamloops, Langley/Surrey, Nanaimo, North Shore, Prince George , Ridge-Meadows, Tri-Cities, and Williams Lake .

Operation Red Nose is a safe ride home service, but it is also a road safety awareness campaign. This program is recognized in the province as an excellent way for communities to fight impaired driving, particularly during the holiday season.

ICBC - provincial sponsor

If Operation Red Nose can provide its safe ride home service, year after year, it is in part due to the generous contribution of sponsors and we would like to thank them for their support.

In British Columbia, Operation Red Nose has been able to rely on the support of ICBC since the beginning of the program in 1996. Over the years, ICBC has supported the development and sustainability of the program in the province. Our partnership allows us to operate safely and to bring our road safety campaign to new BC communities.

CTV - provincial media partner

For the past three campaigns, CTV has supported Operation Red Nose in British Columbia by creating a humorous psa and promoting the road safety campaign across the province. Again this year, the Operation Red Nose psa will air on CTV encouraging motorist to act responsibly.

BC Liquor Distribution Branch

Operation Red Nose and the BC Liquor Distribution Branch have recently partnered to emphasize the road safety message. During the holidays, BC Liquor Stores will promote the Operation Red Nose service in the communities that will be hosting the program in 2009.

Operation Red Nose volunteers

Operation Red Nose would not be able to provide its safe ride home service in British Columbia without the help of thousands of volunteers who donate their time as drivers, phone operators and coordinators during the busiest time of the year.

"Volunteering for Operation Red Nose is certainly a tangible way to serve your community while having a great time during the holidays" says Mr. De Koninck , Founding President of Operation Red nose.

Operation Red Nose invites everyone in Abbotsford/Mission, Chilliwack, Delta/Richmond, Kamloops, Langley/Surrey, Nanaimo, North Shore, Prince George , Ridge-Meadows, Tri-Cities, and Williams Lake to experience the ORN service as a volunteer for one night - or more! Anyone interested in volunteering can download an application form at www.operationrednose.com. All you have to do is print the application form, fill it out, sign it, and send it to the address printed on the form.

Operation Red Nose in Canada

The famous Operation Red Nose service will be bringing its program to Saskatchewan for the very first time this year. A total of eight provinces will be hosting the campaign in 2009: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick , Quebec , Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Altogether, more than 100 communities across Canada will be offering the Operation Red Nose service this holiday season.

Since 1984, no less than 787,940 Operation Red Nose volunteers have provided a total of 1,506,421 rides in Canada . In British Columbia, 3,300 volunteers took part in the 2008 campaign and provided 4,907 rides to partygoers in the province. The Operation Red Nose safe ride home service is free, but donations are accepted and will be given to local youth or amateur sport organizations.

Operation Red Nose Ridge-Meadows

Operation Red Nose Ridge-Meadows program is pleased to host the provincial launch for 2009. Having successfully completed its first year of operation in 2008, host organization PacificSport Fraser Valley feels strongly that this valuable designated driver service needed to come to the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows communities.

"Operation Red Nose is offered in all of the neighbouring communities. By introducing the program in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, the service is now available in communities north of the Fraser River from Agassiz to Port Moody, and south of the Fraser River from Chilliwack to Richmond ," explains Linda Palm , general manager, PacificSport Fraser Valley, the host organization which coordinates the Abbotsford-Mission and the Ridge-Meadows operations. "As expected, the program introduction was well supported by both communities and their businesses, such as Maple Ridge Towing which provides the location for the program headquarters," says Palm.

For further information: Aurelie Levy, Director of Communications & Marketing, [email protected], [phone]