North Vancouver Rotary Club president Kevin Evans dons the red nose and antlers every holiday season to play the role of Santa’s sidekick.
Rudolph and his friends, fellow Rotarians and other volunteers prance into North Shore restaurants during the holidays to offer their designated driver service to guests.
“The most fun I’ve had was dressing up as Rudolph,” says Evans.
In the early days, explains Evans, it was “such a strange concept” for patrons to see the antlered safe ride home advocates stroll into restaurants. Sixteen years later, the antlers and red noses have become commonplace.
“The big contrast since Red Nose started and now is a much greater awareness that you just don’t drink and drive.”
While the message is delivered in a lighthearted way, the larger issue is serious. It’s why Evans decided to give up his Friday and Saturday evenings during the busy social season. About 250 other North Shore volunteers sign up for the cause as well.
“Well, I think like a lot of people, we are concerned about drinking and driving,” says Evans, a longtime volunteer of Operation Red Nose, a by-donation service which offers the convenience of delivering Christmas party revellers home safely in their own vehicle.
Rudolph’s helpers guide the sleigh or sedan of partygoers who have indulged in one too many mulled wines between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
While most Operation Red Nose clients are not overly intoxicated, it does make Evans think about “what life must be like for taxi drivers.”
The program is always in need of volunteers who can take on roles such as designated driver or navigator. Anyone driving a client’s car must be at least 21 years old.
There are also opportunities to work the phones and dispatch incoming calls from Operation Red Nose’s lively headquarters at the District of North Vancouver’s fire training centre in the Lynnmour area.
Joy Jones, a longtime Red Nose volunteer and fellow North Vancouver Rotary Club member, greets the other volunteers when they arrive at headquarters. Donated food and refreshments from local businesses keep the volunteers energized throughout the long evening ahead.
“It’s just a great environment,” says Jones. “It’s upbeat. You make friends. Why else do I go back year after year? I enjoy it tremendously.”
Evans agrees.
“At 2:30 in the morning, all the volunteers coming back, they are so stoked and adrenalized and sharing stories from the evening,” he says.
On average Operation Red Nose North Shore provides 300 safe rides home and raises more than $20,000 to support youth programs in North and West Vancouver.
Artists for Kids and the North Shore Youth Safe House are past recipients of Operation Red Nose donations, which also go towards providing non-academic scholarships for local high school students.
The service is not exclusive to motorists who have been drinking, it’s also available for those who don’t feel fit to drive because of fatigue or medication.
ICBC and the North Vancouver RCMP endorse the Operation Red Nose program and encourage people to use a designated driver service for a safe ride home.
“Deciding to drive under the influence is engaging in high-risk behaviour that can have both harmful and criminal results,” stated North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Richard De Jong in a press release, adding that police will be stepping up road checks this holiday season. “Plan ahead and let someone else drive you home – like a volunteer reindeer.”
The Operation Red Nose service will be running on the North Shore from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Nov. 25 and 26, as well as Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and 31.
The number to call for a ride home is 604-619-0942, or you can download the app. Visit operationrednosenorthshore.com for more information.
