Pacific Sport Interior is thanking the community for making the 2024 edition of Operation Red Nose the most successful that Kamloops has ever seen.
A total of 434 safe rides home were delivered, which Executive Director Carolynn Boomer says that was number one in BC. She notes that it delivered 512 rides last year, but that was over 13 nights. So on a per night basis, 2024 proved to be the slightest bit busier.
Operation Red Nose was available in Kamloops every Friday and Saturday night from November 29th to December 30th and on Ney Year’s Eve. Boomer says over those 11 dates it was able to raise more than $17,000 and that figure will be up around $20,000 by the time the final calculations come in. “So when you look at just the client donations of $17,000 and divide that by the number of nights the rides we had it, that also equated to $39 per ride. So that was that was pretty awesome. That’s up from last year.”
Boomer also says they had the biggest single ride donation in the program’s 28 year history. “In the past the record had been a $200 donation. This campaign, we actually had a $500 donation, which was over the top. The volunteers were just like, Oh my God, that’s just crazy.”
Red Nose is completely volunteer based with teams needed to drive a pilot car along with the clients car and Boomer says the community really stepped up. “Shout out to Luca suite, our Operation Red Nose coordinator, as well as all the volunteers. We had 180 positions this year. That equated to 115 volunteers coming out to really give their time and energy. We couldn’t do it without them and our sponsors too as well. It really does take a village.”
All funds raised through Operation Red Nose support Pacific Sport Interior. Boomer notes it is their only fundraiser of the year.
“We support athletes that are on the pathway to performance focus. So, as they go to national championships, they can get an athlete travel grant. We’ve provided over $335,000 since we started that travel grant program. The proceeds from Red Nose help support that, as well as coach travel grants, because we know these coaches sometimes go to nationals with their with their athletes, or they have a professional development opportunity. So we’ve provided just over $80,000 to coaches for that support.”
“We do free educational workshops for our registered athletes and coaches from sports psychology to injury prevention and more. We also have internationally renowned Olympians and Paralympians and 2024 was a huge year with the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. With our very own Greg Stewart and Ethan Katzberg. And, of course, Dylan Armstrong coaching and Patrick waters, as well as Catherine Pendrell coaching this year. She is a four time Olympian. So these are a couple of notable names that have been receiving our support on their journey in sport.
