Have no fear, Rudy's here!
Operation Red Nose is back to safely ferry home imbibers
If the world's starting to look a little wobbly after some holiday partying, give Rudy your keys.
Photograph by: Troy Landreville , Langley Advance
Rudy of Operation Red Nose will be out and about again soon.
The reindeer is the mascot for a program that helps drivers get back home, with their cars.
Starting on Friday, Nov. 30 and running through every weekend up to and including New Year's Eve, Project Red Nose volunteers will show up at parties, pubs, and restaurants, and give drivers a ride home.
And it's all free of charge. Langley Gymnastics runs the local program, with parents of young gymnasts making up a good portion of its volunteer drivers, said Annie Pierotti, this year's coordinator.
There are also volunteers who simply want to help keep the roads safe during the holiday season.
Volunteers will drive someone home with their car, followed by a volunteer escort/navigator team.
Donations are gratefully accepted, but those who use the service are under no obligation to contribute. Pierotti said they don't want people to think they can't call if they don't have any cash. Getting people home is the important part.
Volunteers in each community do handoffs, so a trip from Langley to Abbotsford might involve a change of drivers as the volunteers meet up at predetermined points.
Pierotti said that people seem pretty happy to see them, whether it's Rudy himself or the volunteers.
"When you show up to drive someone home, you're the hero," Pierotti said.
Contact the Langley/ Surrey Red Nose team at 604-532-0888, or call province-wide at 1-877-604NOSE.
