KAMLOOPS — Operation Red Nose’s volunteer count is significantly lower than this time last year.
Coordinator Katie Klassen says the safe ride home volunteer service currently has 135 volunteer members compared to 225 last December.
She says the new criminal record check process has a large part to do with it
“It used to be where volunteers could drop it off at the police station and and the results would be sent straight to myself,” said Klassen. “Now the volunteer has to drop it off and pick it up personally and then drop it off to me at the the Tournament Capital Centre. So it’s just a couple more steps for the volunteers to take which can make the process a lot longer.”
Klassen says the increased demand for security checks this time of year has also led to it taking longer for people to get the all clear.
Despite the shortage, Klassen says Red Nose is committed to ensuring every party goer gets home safe with 59 rides provided on Friday and 135 on Saturday.
Callers are asked to be patient, especially between peak times of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. when wait times can be 45 minutes to an hour.
Red Nose has so far raised seven-thousand dollars to go towards PacificSport.
