Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Melissa Vinson was encouraged after a meeting to recruit volunteers to the Orange Beach Wildlife Center and Management Program earlier in March where more than 20 people showed up.

There are several areas of need not just in direct care of animals but in all aspect of running the center, its programs and raising money to help keep it running.

“There many different avenues they can get involved with,” Vinson, a city Coastal Programs Coordinator, said. “Of course, animal care and daily husbandry, cleaning, diet, laundry. But there is also fundraising that we’re really interested in and having people volunteer for that.”

Related story: Orange Beach OKs $899,000 for wildlife center, trail shop

Something always needs work at the center and volunteers are need to help rebuild and repair facilities from regular wear and tear and use.

“Construction, we always need little repairs around the center and enclosures being built, perches changed out for the current enclosures that we do have,” Vinson said.

Another important role for volunteers would be to help run some of the outreach programs and appearances in the community to tell residents about the program.

‘We do a lot of programs, we do festivals, things like that so it would be nice to have people that can assist because the operations still need to continue at the center,” Vinson said. “We still have animals that need to be fed so leaving the center and going to an education program sometimes makes us have to rush it to get everything done we need to get done that day. Having volunteers that would help at the education events would be beneficial as well.”

What Vinson would really like to develop a core of volunteers around Baldwin County to bring injured or stressed animals to the center for rehab.

“We also need volunteers that help us with capturing and transporting animals to us,” Vinson said. “We can only stay in the city limits so if we get a call outside of the city, we’re not able to go. Getting people in the Fairhope area, Loxley, Elberta, throughout the county it would be beneficial if we could kind of get a transportation network set up.”

More exciting things are ahead for the center in the future after the council awarded a bid for $899,000 for a new facility to be built on city-owned property on Powerline Road. It will be a combination wildlife center and Backcountry Trail maintenance shed. There is already a flight enclosure for injured raptors and other birds on the site paid for with grant money.

“It’ll be nice to have a little bit more space and really kind of be able to separate out a little bit,” Vinson said. “Separate our education side from our rehab side. That will be very nice.”

The council OK’d the bid on March 15, the same day as the volunteer meeting. But if you missed the meeting Vinson said the center is happy to take on volunteers anytime of the year. Anyone interested in working with the center should email her at mvinson@orangebeachal.gov.

“We’re always taking new volunteers,” Vinson said.