Hope James suspended for this season

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

If you plan on going out and having a few drinks during the holiday season this year, you better think ahead when it comes to getting home safely.

Home James – Caledon, has been providing rides for people who go out drinking and need to get themselves and their car home for the past several years.

The local chapter is based in Caledon but also reaches out to the Orangeville area at times and by special appointment. The organization also has a chapter in Chatham-Kent.

The volunteer organization will pick people up with one of their cars and bring a second member of the team to drive your car home. The organization is supported by many local businesses and local car dealerships lend their courtesy cars to Home James on the weekends to support the program.

It has been a very successful program around the holiday season for people who realize they have imbibed a little too much to drive home. You can also plan ahead and arrange for a ride if you know you will be going out and consuming alcohol. It's a way to get people and their automobiles home safely.

Locally, Home James has been operating since 2009.

However, this year they have decided to suspend operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Board of Directors has made the tough decision to suspend all of our operations for 2020 and we fully plan to resume in 2021,” the organization said in a statement. “We are using this time to continue to improve our service in the background.”

The organization is reminding people that they are in contact with the Ontario Provincial Police who are dedicated to continuing enforcement and the fight against impaired driving in the community.

They are reminding people that just because they are not operating this year it doesn't mean there are alternate ways to get home if you have been drinking rather than risking your live and the lives others on the road.

Home James plans to resume operations next year.