Nez-rouge ends 2018 Campaign with major milestone

Operation Nez Rouge Sherbrooke closed its 34th regional campaign by surpassing its 2018 goal of 5,000 rides. In Sherbrooke and the surrounding region 5,398 rides were given between November 30 and December 31, 2018, including 4,062 in Sherbrooke alone. Once again, the community can boast of being the second largest Nez Rouge campaign in the country in terms of escorts.

The Magog, Coaticook, Haut-stfrançois and Val-st-françois satellite groups, for their part, made a significant contribution to providing a quality ride service, thereby reducing wait times. and increasing the territory served. In total, the satellite groups carried out 25 per cent of rides.

The beginning of the 2018 campaign showed a slight decrease in volunteer participation, but the number of escorts was not affected. Indeed, although the 2018 campaign had two fewer days of operation than the previous one, the region was able to achieve more teams with the volunteer workforce (742 teams this year versus 725 in 2017) and a few more escorts (5,398 versus 5,329 in 2017).

Technological novelty appreciated by volunteers

For the 2,635 volunteers who took part in the campaign, the novelty of using a mobile app was a real success. Thanks to the mobile distribution component added in Nez Rouge app, volunteers were provided with all the details of transport requests on their phone and the dispatch team at the central office was able to locate the teams faster on the territory. The secure use of the transmitted data also allowed the automated sending of a notification to the users of the service to announce the arrival of the team.

Historic Million Dollar milestone passed

As planned, the 2018 campaign also allowed the local organization to break a historic $1 million mark in user donations.

For the past 34 years, profits from the Sherbrooke hub have been paid directly to Vert & Or student-athletes in the form of bursaries. The other centres in the region donate to various organizations, such as the Coaticook Scouts or the Théo Vallières Respite Center.

Sherbrooke's Nez Rouge Forest

Last year, the local organization put in place measures to incorporate the concept of sustainable development into all its operations. A survey of the number of kilometers driven by volunteer vehicles exceeded 100,000 km this year, which will allow a second tree planting on the university campus next spring in compensation for the emission of greenhouse gases.

In addition, the two EV (electrical vehicle) evenings organized in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke have doubled their success this year with more than 1200 km covered by 100% electric vehicles, which is twice the number of the previous year.

Across Canada, Nez-rouge carried out 73,150 rides this year in 102 communities over the month of December with the help of 50,440 volunteers