Out of state volunteers return to the Coast to give back to Woodside Wildlife Rescue

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (WXXV)- A group of volunteers from hundreds of miles away is spending part of its summer giving back on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Members of a Massachusetts-based mission team are helping improve facilities at Woodside Wildlife Rescue in Pass Christian, creating better spaces for animals in need while supporting the sanctuary’s ongoing work.

The Repair and Replenish Retreat Mission is helping building and repair several projects on site, including a new owl sanctuary, and an enclosure for injured birds.

The improvements are designed to provide safer and comfortable spaces while the animals recover. Repair and Replenish Mission CEO Jessica Reynolds said, “I’ve been coming since 2011, was my first year. I came for about five years or so with groups that I would lead from a parish and after that is when we decided we wanted to start our business. We just fell in love with Mississippi with doing service here. There’s so many places R&R would love to go and do service but this is home for us. Coming here and serving this community you can’t compare it. People are so welcoming and people are happy to have us here but we’re happy to be here and do the service and hear how we are changing lives even in just the teams that are here. I had a team say to me yesterday, this was changing his life already and this was his first trip in just day one of service. So, God only knows what could come from that even more.”

While the organization is based in Massachusetts, serving the Gulf Coast has become a familiar tradition. One hundred and eleven volunteers spread out across South Mississippi this week, partnering with nonprofits and community organizations to tackle projects that make a lasting impact. Volunteer Natalia Delucia said, “Down here when I was taking care of the animals, it was really nice to see and take care of them because I guess you see your average animals around your state but I got to take care of a racoon and I never done that before and I really got excited to take care of it and it was really awesome.”

The volunteers will continue their work through the week before returning home, leaving behind stronger facilities and a reminder that helping others knows no distance.