Randy Braaten presents a certificate of admission to Rudy's Circle to John Alexandersen for 11 years of volunteering. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Operation Red Nose

Operation Red Nose honours volunteer who wrote code for dispatch program as season starts

Nov 15, 2024 | 3:44 PM

This year’s iteration of Prince Albert’s Operation Red Nose program began with the acknowledgement of the local volunteer who wrote a programming code that helps dispatch drivers.

John Alexandersen was admitted into Rudy’s Circle after 11 years of volunteering his time driving people home after holiday festivities.

“John has been an awesome support for the program over all these years. He wrote the dispatch program we use for getting our teams out to pick the people up and take them to where they’re going,” said Randy Braaten, who volunteers with Operation Red Nose annually himself.

Despite his love of interacting with people, Alexandersen is not usually one of the drivers as he has been tasked to be the dispatcher, using his own program.

The first year, he noticed the how much work was involved in writing down all the information needed for every pickup and then writing it again for the second vehicle and sending them out.

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“The dispatching of the teams was elaborate. I saw an opportunity to expedite that and I wrote some code and ended up writing the software to do it,” he explained.

Because many people at the time didn’t have data plans with their cell phones, he wrote the code so it ran through text message.

Now, when they send a dispatch, it gets texted to every person on the team, including information on the pickup and drop-off locations and what type of vehicle they are driving, the client’s phone number and all pertinent information.

This is the twelfth year Operation Red Nose has run in Prince Albert and it is the 11th that Alexandersen has been a part of it.

The first year he missed because he didn’t have time to complete the criminal record check that all volunteers need in order to help out. It takes about eight weeks and is free from the volunteer’s local police station or RCMP detachment.

“Year two, I signed up for the first weekend. I’ve been here every day since. I haven’t missed a single night,” Alexandersen said.

“I think it’s a great cause. It was something, I guess growing up it was something I did, you know. I was one of the guys that made sure people got home safe and did a lot of chauffeuring people home. And I just thought it was a great cause.”

The Prince Albert Lions, which organize the annual rides over the Christmas holidays are hoping that more people have Alexandersen’s spirit.

Volunteers are needed as they often have five groups of three people driving every weekend. Local automotive dealerships have been great about volunteering the use of their vehicles.

“We are very, very fortunate here in Prince Albert, a lot of other jurisdictions are actually using their personal vehicles as escort drivers and the relationship we have with the dealers here that allow us to use their shuttle vehicles,” said Alexandersen

“I think it’s a huge, huge thing and very appreciated.”

The annual calls the teams get dropped off during the pandemic but have been picking up in the last two years.

Each team gets sent out in a vehicle to the pickup spot, a driver and a navigator get in the client vehicle and drive the person home while the volunteer vehicle follows. Once they arrive, the volunteers all get in the Operation Red Nose vehicle and go back to base or to the next call.

Braaten said that the volunteers are well-supplied every weekend with coffee, donuts and pizza from supporting local businesses.

Last year, they gave 170 rides to 377 clients and are proud of the fact they kept almost 200 impaired drivers off the roads. Volunteers on New Year’s Eve are especially needed.

It is free to use Operation Red Nose although donations are appreciated. The money raised goes to local schools where it is used for programming for the students.

Those wanting to volunteer can call 306-763-6673 or email rbraaten@sasktel.net or princealbert@operationrednose.com.

Rides begin on November 30 and wrap up after New Year’s Eve.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com