UNews - 403-320-4155

Red Nose back on the roads

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:39:10 +0000

A year after setting program records for total rides and money raised, Operation Red Nose (ORN) is on the road again for Pronghorn Athletics.

Operating under the slogan, Let Rudy Take the Wheel, the Horns will be participating in their 18th Operation Red Nose, a countrywide initiative aimed at curbing drinking and driving by chauffeuring partygoers and their vehicles home safely.

The program is an annual win-win for the Horns and the southern Alberta community. Run by volunteers and supported generously by community sponsors (such as insurance providers Alpine and Intact Insurance), rides are free of charge to users, with donations accepted. In the end, the program works as a major fundraiser for Horns Athletics and takes numerous potentially unsafe drivers off the roads.

This season, with new Alberta blood-alcohol content regulations in effect, it's expected Operation Red Nose will be utilized more than ever.

"You're really going to need a big volunteer base to cover the demand," says the Lethbridge Regional Police Service. "It's a fantastic program. We have people out on a designated check stop all throughout December and we'd rather have them not find an impaired driver than to have someone who could have used Red Nose come through our stop and get charged."

Sandy Slavin, the director of Sport and Recreation Services, says the push for volunteers is ongoing.

"I would think we need upwards of 800 volunteer slots that need to be filled," says Slavin. "That can include one person filling two or three slots but by the end of the day, there are 800 slots to fill, which is pretty substantial, especially closer to Christmas when the majority of our athletes have headed home."

The first weekend of ORN proved projections right as 170 rides were provided by 90 volunteers on the first two nights of operation. That translates to a 13 per cent increase from last season's opening weekend. By the end of the third week of operation, ORN had given out 875 rides and remained on pace to smash last year's record totals.

Slavin has been pleased to see a number of alumni returning to campus in recent years to help with ORN. She notes that it often just takes one experience with the program for people to get hooked.

"You really do feel good at the end of the night, that you've given something back to not only the Horns program but to the community," she says. "We are finding that more and more of our alumni are coming back and that's how they support their team and their university."

Operation Red Nose operates every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening from Nov. 30 through New Year's Eve. To volunteer, contact Horns Athletics at 403-329-2681. To access a ride, call 403-320-4155 from 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

This story first appeared in the December 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Operation Red Nose launches

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:53:47 +0000

Operation Red Nose is back for the 17th year of its annual Holiday campaign.

Beginning on the evening of Friday, Nov. 25, Operation Red Nose is a unique program dedicated to the fight against impaired driving. During the Christmas holiday season, individuals who have been drinking or who do not feel fit to drive can be driven home in their own vehicle by a team of Red Nose volunteers. There is no fee for the service, but donations are accepted.

In addition to being a safe driving campaign, Operation Red Nose is a fundraising activity for Pronghorn Athletics. Over the past 16 years, more than $420,000 has been raised in support of the Pronghorn teams.

Here's how it works. Teams of volunteers, consisting of an escort driver, designated driver and navigator provide the Red Nose service. The escort driver drives the volunteers to pick up clients. The designated driver and navigator then accompany the client in the client's vehicle with the navigator completing paperwork while the designated driver gets everyone home safely. Pronghorn Athletics supplies the majority of volunteers, while these numbers are supplemented by community volunteers.

Operation Red Nose has been well supported by community groups, businesses and individuals over the years and the program is once again seeking volunteers to take part. More volunteers are always needed, especially on New Year's Eve. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681.

Sponsors are also key to enabling the program to be offered at no cost. Lethbridge businesses have been terrific in providing their support for this valuable service. Along with cash donations, all food and refreshments for volunteers, gas, phone service, and insurance coverage is donated to the program.

Following are nights of operation for the service.

Operation Red Nose Lethbridge
Dates of Operation in 2011
Most Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's in December and New Year's Eve. (Nov. 25, 26, Dec. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 10, 15, 16, 17, and 31)
Hours of Operation
9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Operation Red Nose Phone Number
403-320-4155
For information about, volunteering, Christmas party reservations, or other
Contact Pronghorn Athletics, 403-329-2681

Smith revels in the opportunity to volunteer

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:02:25 +0000

Adam Smith (BSc '05, MSc '09) can see his breath in the air as he makes his way out to the parking lot. He unlocks the door and slides into the seat of yet another strange car, catching his reflection in the rearview mirror as he adjusts it. If you watch closely, you might notice a stifled yawn – it's 3 a.m.

Adam Smith has been volunteering for Operation Red Nose for the last 11 years.

As a student, Smith pulled his share of all-nighters. In fact, he laughs at the memory of sleepless nights spent monitoring lab experiments as he worked towards his master's degree in biochemistry. If you ask him what's keeping him up now, it's not all-night parties or lab work. Instead, the 28-year old's lack of sleep comes from long nights as an Operation Red Nose (ORN) volunteer.

"I started volunteering when I was on the track team," explains Smith, who threw weight and shotput for three years before suffering a career-ending injury.

"Red Nose started as something I had to do – but now it's something I want to do."

Having returned for the 11th successive year, Smith obviously enjoys volunteering but he takes his responsibilities very seriously. Originally participating out of obligation to his team, Smith admits he's had a change in perspective and now volunteers as a way of giving back to the community.

"I've developed a greater appreciation for what it's all about," says Smith. "It's more than hanging out with friends and raising money for Pronghorns athletes. It's also about playing an active role in the community, and taking part of the shared responsibility for making that community a better place."

Although, Smith admits, the money does support a cause near and dear to his heart.

"As a student athlete, it's not easy to balance school with a tough training schedule," acknowledges Smith, who trained up to 30 hours a week and didn't have a lot of time left over for a part-time job. "I travelled to meets and competitions across Canada, and all of my expenses were covered by Pronghorns Athletics."

With those thoughts in mind, Smith returns each year to volunteer for ORN. He gives generously of his time, spending up to five nights each winter making sure that holiday partygoers and their vehicles get home safely. In addition, he's worked with groups like the Graduate Students' Association to encourage others to get involved.

"ORN is a great program and offers the best of both worlds: you and your vehicle home safely at the end of the night," says Smith. "It has become a staple of our community and demand continues to grow each year."

As he buckles his seat belt and shifts into gear, Smith knows he's going to be tired the next day, but his yawn turns into a smile when he thinks about the difference he's making.

Operation Red Nose, now in its 17th year, provides rides home to individuals in their own vehicles. There is no fee for the service, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information or to volunteer, call 403-329-2681. If you're out on the town and need a ride, call 403-320-4155.

For a look at the full issue of the December 2010 Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Operation Red Nose campaign begins

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:23:16 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's annual Operation Red Nose campaign begins Friday, Nov. 26, the first of five weekends and 12 total nights the popular designated driving program will operate in the city.

This is the 16th year that the U of L has offered the program and in that time, more than $380,000 has been raised in support of Horns Athletics. More importantly, countless lives have been saved because thousands of drunk drivers have not been behind the wheels of their vehicles.

The Lethbridge Regional Police Service, the U of L Students' Union, Horns Athletics, the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the City of Lethbridge are all in staunch support of the program. Keith McLaughlin, the VP Academic of the Students' Union says the annual campaign is vitally important to students, teaching them positive attitudes towards the use of designated drivers. Essentially, he says, it's key to drive the message home when drivers are young and they're more apt to be smart about drunk driving the rest of their lives.

"We believe the educational awareness component of Operation Red Nose is the most beneficial aspect of the campaign," says McLaughlin. "As a society we can enact tougher and tougher legislation but drunk driving, I don't think, can be eradicated by legislation itself. I think we need to change our societal attitudes about this type of behaviour and we do that through education and awareness."

Red Nose is a designated driving program whereby a team of volunteers (60 to 70 per cent of which are U of L students, mainly Horns athletes) brings a vehicle to your locale. They drive your vehicle home and you and your party get to ride along. There's no charge for the service but donations to Pronghorns Athletics are accepted.

Operation Red Nose begins the weekend of Nov. 26-27 and continues through the Christmas season, including: Dec. 2-4; Dec. 9-11; Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 31. To call for a ride, dial 403-320-4155. Those interested in volunteering can call 403-329-2681 for more information.

Red Nose Rides Again Dec. 3 - 5 This Week

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:01:09 +0000

More than 70 people got home safely last week thanks to Operation Red Nose.

It's the 15th season for Operation Red Nose at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the demand for their services continues to be on the upswing. That's good news for Pronghorn Athletics, who both administers and then reaps the benefits of the annual designated driving program.

"All of the money we get in from tips goes directly back to our teams and there are a number of different ways they use that money," says Sandy Slavin, executive director, Sport and Recreation Services. "Whether it's going on a training camp, supplementing their meal allowances, used for an exhibition tournament or getting extra gear for their players, it's all very beneficial."

Created in 1984 in Quebec City, the program offers holiday revelers the opportunity to be driven home in their own vehicles, free of charge. It has become a holiday tradition, both for the volunteers who work the program and the many people in southern Alberta who use its services. To get service call 403-320-4155.

Operation Red Nose runs each Thursday through Saturday night to Dec. 19. It then runs again on New Year's Eve. Volunteers wishing to take part in the program can e-mail Sandy Slavin at slavin@uleth.ca or call Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681.

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