Over the years, more and more young people have called — and volunteered for — the annual Nez Rouge campaign.
During the month of December 2019, for example, over 55,000 Quebecers got a free ride home with the holiday transportation service because they didn't feel capable of driving themselves.
And now after taking a break last year due to the pandemic, Operation Nez Rouge is making a return!
That’s right folks, the safe drive home service is back, albeit in a reduced way and with some restrictions.
For starters, Nez Rouge will only be operating in 24 areas of the province this year, instead of the 60 or so regions it normally serves. And even in the regions where Nez Rouge is operating, most areas will have a reduced schedule, as opposed to the usual seven-day service.
In Montreal, volunteers will only be offering rides from Wednesday to Sunday.
Longueuil and the South Shore will only have volunteers available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Communities west of Montreal, such as Vaudreuil-Dorion and Hudson, will also have only three nights a week — but only until Christmas. There won't be any service in the area after that including on New Year's Eve.
In Quebec City, it will be only Thursday through Saturday, a total of only 16 nights in the month of December.
“The year 2021 marks the return to the road for Operation Red Nose with a drive-home campaign that will offer Quebeckers an additional option to return home safely! The great Red Nose family thus demonstrates its determination and impressive capacity for adaptation. We are enthusiastic to see that the regions that will participate this year are fully inflated and ready to make this edition a great success, ”wrote Anne-Marie Audet, Executive Director.
Although subject to change, here is the list of local organizations planning to participate in the campaign:
Lotbinière
Outaouais
Sorel-Tracy
Baie-Comeau
Magog
Thetford Mines
Beauce-Etchemins
Mascouche-Lanaudière-South
Quebec-Levis
Rouge Valley
Chibougamau-Chapais
Saguenay
Vaudreuil-Dorion
Joliette-de-Lanaudiere
Mont-Laurier
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
Laval-Lower Laurentians
Montreal
Shawinigan
Longueuil-South Shore
Nicolet-Becancour
Sherbrooke
To reach Operation Red Nose in Montreal:
By phone: Telephone (418) 653-1492 | Toll free 1 800 463-7222
Website:
Online: http://operationrednose.com
Download the mobile app on the App Store or Google Play.
Volunteering
Operation Red Nose is always looking for drivers to volunteer during the Holidays. Click here to apply.
History
Operation Red Nose was started in 1984 by mathematics professor Jean-Marie De Koninck. He enlisted the athletes on the swimming team he was coaching at the time, and since then, Operation Red Nose has been held every year and has grown steadily.
