File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Curtis Goodrum

OPERATION RED NOSE

Operation Red Nose collected around $25,000 for its 2025 campaign

Jan 9, 2026 | 4:46 PM

KAMLOOPS – The Operation Red Nose campaign has come to an end in Kamloops after ending its 29th year of providing driving service. The donation-based volunteer ride-home service raises money for PacificSport Interior BC, which allows it to fund athletes, helping them pursue the sport they love.

“It’s our 29th campaign running Operation Red Nose. We’re really thrilled that it’s still really successful and definitely very relevant in our society today. In terms of the number of rides, we did 390 rides this year,” said Carolynn Boomer, the executive director of PacificSport Interior BC.

That is 40 fewer rides than last year’s Operation Red Nose, but volunteers saw the busiest night on record for New Year’s Eve with more than 60 drives completed. Despite fewer rides, Operation Red Nose was able to raise a similar amount of money.

“It’s approximately $25,000, which is wonderful. That goes to support all our PacificSport Interior BC athletes and coaches and everything from their national travel grant support to our coaches who might be accompanying them to the national championships, which we know are very expensive. It can also help coaches go to professional development opportunities so that they can be the best that they can be,” said Boomer.

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Greg Stewart, a two-time paralympic shot put gold medalist, has been a recipient of the donations raised by Operation Red Nose. This year, he and his coach, Dylan Armstrong, helped get people home safe.

“I was lucky that this year my coach and I chose to do it, as well. We had a great time. I think we ended up getting, like, 7 or 8 rides and got to raise a few hundred bucks so that, we can, as athletes, go out and do the things that we do. PacificSport’s travel grants for both athletes and coaches go a long way,” said Stewart.

Stewart and his coach were excited to meet the people who have been organizing this program for nearly three decades.

“Seeing everyone coming together is a really humbling feeling. When my coach and I were there, we got to connect with the other volunteers who have done this multiple times and some who have never done it. It was a very humbling and cool experience,” said Stewart.

Operation Red Nose has raised $690,000 in Kamloops throughout its 29 years in Kamloops.