Thompson's Operation Red Nose (ORN) organization distributed $13,166.56 it received in donations over the 2008 and 2009 Christmas seasons to eight community groups Sept. 13.
"The local committee decided that community groups who had a youth focus would benefit from our proceeds," said ORN secretary Carol Pelton, who chose the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson to receive $1,500.
Other recipients included the Thompson Tumblers gymnastics club, picked by Nina Van Drunen to receive $1,000, and the Thompson Air Cadets, who were chosen by ORN committee member Ron Trainor to receive $1,000. Colleen Smook chose the Lighthouse program housed in Wapanohk Community School to receive $1,000 and the Wapanohk breakfast program, which fed 70 children on a regular basis last school year, as the recipient of $2,000. Bobbi Montean chose the Wolfpack hockey team to receive a $1,000 donation.
The ORN committee also made a special presentation of $3,166.56 to the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities in honour of the late Janet Poirier, who didn't let her wheelchair stop her from donating hundreds of hours to ORN by working as a dispatcher.
"It gave her the opportunity to give back to the community, meet community members and feel a sense of accomplishment," said Pelton. "Her sense of humour helped the volunteers through long nights and early mornings."
"Her smile, her laughter was nothing that anybody could replace," said Van Drunen.
Montean recalled that Poirier was also ready to whip people into shape, if necessary.
"I got yelled at a few times," she admitted.
ORN is a designated driving program that gets vehicles and their owners home safely during the Christmas season. Last year, the 12th year of providing this service in Thompson, saw 35 teams of 121 volunteers providing 247 rides and raising $3,767.49.
The kick-off for the 2010 Operation Red Nose campaign is planned for early November.
