THUNDER BAY — Operation Red Nose won't run again this year, with doubt that the holiday ride program will ever return for Thunder Bay.
St. John Ambulance, which introduced the program to the city in 2009, confirmed this week that Red Nose won't be on the roads in 2023.
The program had been on hiatus since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Diana Sustawenko, the executive director of St. John Ambulance Northwestern Ontario, feels the COVID-19 pandemic may have hastened the demise of Operation Red Nose.
“Once the pandemic hit, the lack of volunteers has definitely put a damper on our program,” Sustawenko said. “Many of the past volunteers really [were] anxious [and] excited about coming back. But with [sickness going around the community] and COVID-19 being so prevalent again, I think it's really taken a toll on them and [so] understandably they are afraid to come back.”
The concept of Operation Red Nose was to get three people in a vehicle for an evening and driving patrons back safely to wherever they need to go.
During its peak, the program was running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night starting at the end of November and wrapping up just before Christmas Eve.
Sustawenko mentioned that at least 60 volunteers are needed to run the service from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.
Sustawenko said she had some optimism the program might return in 2024, but also said volunteers might remain hesitant especially if COVID-19 and other viruses are still circulating.
"I would be very surprised if we ever got it back up and running again,” she said.
St. John Ambulance has been the local host organization for Operation Red Nose Thunder Bay since 2009.
