The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Lois Burke didn't get home until 5:30 the first morning of 2005, but it wasn't because she was out celebrating. Burke, better known as Bunny, and her fellow volunteers spent the last hours of 2004 and the first hours of the new year driving home people who weren't fit to go behind the wheel themselves. It capped off another successful edition of Operation Red Nose, a free service organized by the Rotary Club that provided 161 rides throughout December. "We just think it's a good service for the community," said Burke, an active Rotarian who coordinated Red Nose. "People can go out, have a good time and get their vehicle and themselves home safe and sound." Red Nose accepted calls at their headquarters at Flin Flon City Hall every Friday and Saturday evening throughout December, including the busiest night, New Year's Eve, when 45 calls came in. A team of three volunteers responded to each call. A driver and navigator took the caller home in his or her own vehicle while the third volunteer followed in an escort vehicle. At the end of each trip, the escort vehicle returned the team of volunteers back to City Hall. While Red Nose is complimentary, organizers gladly accepted donations. Between contributions from the callers and sponsoring businesses, the Rotary Club expects to net around $8,500. That money is earmarked for youth recreational initiatives supported by the Rotarians. The Parkdale School playground, the Aqua Centre and the sports program at Creighton Community School are among past beneficiaries. "It's not about the money, but the money is nice because it goes back to the youth," commented Burke. While some people might view volunteering on a night like New Year's Eve as a sacrifice, those involved with Red Nose couldn't disagree more. In between providing rides, they watched movies, played games, munched on snacks and generally enjoyed themselves. "It's a good social opportunity," said Burke. See 'Community' P.# Con't from P.# Having spearheaded Operation Red Nose in Flin Flon each December since 1999, the Rotary Club has already decided to apply to run the program again next holiday season. "The community is very supportive," said Burke. "We get a lot of comments from people saying they appreciate the service." Operation Red Nose is a national program that provides thousands of rides each year in hundreds of communities.
