As Operation Red Nose enters it's third weekend of operation in the Steinbach and La Broquerie area, local business owners that serve alcohol at their establishments are praising the free driving service.
 
Josette Roch owns the Frantz Motor Inn along with her husband Mike, and she is very glad to be able to have an additional option to offer her patrons to ensure they and their vehicle get home safely.
 
“I feel strongly about the organization and I also feel strongly about making sure people get home safe. This is what our business is all about.”  She adds that there was a great need for this type of service in this area.
 
Roch doesn't just pay lip service, she is both a sponsor of Operation Red Nose as well as a former volunteer. She says in essence, she has been an “Operation Red Nose” herself in the past by personally driving customers home to ensure their safety even before the service became available here.
 
“If we see people in a state where they shouldn't be driving, it feels good to be able to ensure they get home safely. I am one hundred percent for this program.” 
 
Both Roch and Chris Dyck, Operations Manager at Smitty's in Steinbach recommend planning ahead and using the driving service if you have holiday gatherings or celebrations to attend. They both agree that Operation Red Nose is also very well run with dedicated, hard-working volunteers and donations collected go to a great cause.
Smitty's Operations Manager Chris Dyck with server Jordanna Krentz.
 
Dyck says everything about Operation Red Nose is positive. “Several groups have used it from our establishment, and people were able to get home safely and have their vehicles there the next day. I feel very comfortable using the service as well as the customers.”
 
Operation Red Nose will drive you and your vehicle home or to your next destination every Friday or Saturday night in December. Especially if you plan to drink alcohol, plan to call Operation Red Nose at 204-424-9555.
 
Phone lines are open from 9 p.m. Until 3 a.m. Every Friday and Saturday night, and if you'd like to be part of Operation Red Nose, they still need volunteers for New Year's Eve!
 
For more information on volunteering, or if you'd like to book rides for your Christmas and holiday parties, contact Janelle Nadeau Wilson at 204-371-1018 or jnadeauwilson@gmail.com or on the Operation Red Nose Steinbach/La Broquerie Facebook page.