ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Wednesday night, many will be celebrating the start of another year. For those whose festivities will include alcohol, OSF HealthCare is helping them get home safely.
OSF has been serving the community for decades of New Year’s Eves through LifeRides.
“This is a program that really started after an alcohol-related fatal accident occurred,” explained OSF St. Francis Hospital President Kelly Jefferson. “Several community agencies got together and decided there had to be a better way, and so the LifeRides program was born.”
Now in its 41st year, the LifeRides program offers free trips home on New Year’s Eve from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., courtesy of local transportation services. Jefferson says it has proven to be effective in saving lives.
“There has not been an alcohol-related fatality from a motor vehicle since the program began 41 years ago,” she said. “That’s, of course, a trend we hope to continue.”
This year, the program is expanding, with even more agencies offering rides. Their numbers can be found on flyers posted at local restaurants and bars.
“There’s DATA [Delta Area Transit Authority] Bus, who has been a longtime partner of ours,” said Jefferson. “They do encourage reservations, so if you have an idea of what time you want to go home, please make that reservation before you go out. Also, Get-A-Cab here locally and Kacalo City Cab.”
Several local organizations sponsor the program, including The Island Resort & Casino, the Edward J. Sackerson Foundation, the Community Foundation for Delta County, M3 Insurance, Elmer’s County Market, and Escanaba area credit unions. Their support keeps LifeRides free for the public.
“We’re so incredibly grateful to have our partners as well as our sponsors participating with us and being able to offer this program,” Jefferson said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
OSF encourages those ringing in the new year with alcohol to drink plenty of water, to select a designated driver if possible, or to stay somewhere for the night. However, for anyone in need of a lift home on New Year’s Eve, a LifeRide is just a phone call away.
“Drinking and driving is very dangerous, not only for yourself but others around you,” said Jefferson. “We, of course, want you to go out and have fun, celebrate the great things that happen in 2025 or challenges you’ve overcome, but we also want to make sure that you get home safely.”
To schedule a ride on the DATA Bus, call (906) 786-1186, extension 1. To get a LifeRide from Get-A-Cab, call (866) 438-2222. To contact Kacalo City Cab for a LifeRide, call (906) 399-7176.
