Donations by the people who hitched a ride with Operation Red Nose in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows were up 17 per cent during the 2014 holiday season.
The group of local volunteers took in approximately $14,000 in donations, and another $5,000 in sponsorship money.
The money was earned over nine nights of driving home people who had imbibed in a little too much holiday cheer in December.
The last night was Dec. 31, when the local volunteers rang in the new year by offering 77 safe rides home, and driving a combined 1,710 km.
The last team back into the headquarters at Maple Ridge Towing pulled in at 5:45 a.m. on Jan. 1.
“The volunteers in Maple Ridge are supporting the program better and better every year,” said Linda Palm, of PacificSport Fraser Valley.
“We really value every volunteer who comes through the door.”
Over the nine nights, they provided a total of 507 rides, which was a seven per cent increase from 2013, and drove 13,161 km.
There were a total of 329 volunteer shifts – two volunteers are needed for every ride.
All of those stats are the highest since the organization opened in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows in 2008.
Operation Red Nose started in B.C. 19 years ago in Abbotsford, where PacificSport is based.
Palm said the success of Red Nose locally puts its stats “right on the heels of Abbotsford.”
More volunteers can make the program even better.
On New Year’s Eve, there were still some who called for a ride who ended up waiting two hours for a volunteer driving team to become available.
“Our biggest challenge is to have quick response times – quick enough so people can go home when they want to,” said Palm.
Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows together are one of 99 communities across Canada that offers Operation Red Nose.
The funds raised are used for youth or amateur sports organizations, and across Canada that amount was $1.5 million.
Next year, the 32nd year that the organization has existed nationally, it will offer its two millionth ride.