7th annual Operation Red Nose helps 900 drivers in Saskatchewan

At the end of its 35-day safe-ride-home campaign, Operation Red Nose announced that more than 900 people in the province used the volunteer-based ride service, offered through SGI for the seventhstraight year.

Operating out of Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and the Battlefords area, the program ran from Nov. 27 to Dec. 31.

With its mission to fight impaired driving, 634 volunteers drove home 929 people who chose not to drive their own vehicles after drinking.

Those Saskatchewan numbers represent a larger countrywide trend, that saw56,228 volunteers take part in the campaign. Ultimately, they gave rides to 81,612 would-be drivers across the country.

Though run by volunteers as a free service, the program does accept donations which it puts towards local youth initiatives and amateur sport.

Another milestone of this year's safe driving campaign was the program's two millionth ride, which was given on Nov. 28.

"Without the exceptional participation of our volunteers,it would have notbeen possible to reach this impressive milestone," said Operation Red Nose presidentJean-Marie De Koninck. "Throughtheir gesture, they have contributed to making their communities' roads safer."