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Volunteers At The Heart Of The South Phoenix Wildlife Center

This week is National Volunteer Week. As a result, employees from local Arizona companies and their families are donating their time to complete projects for nonprofit organizations.

The Liberty Wildlife Center along the Salt River in South Phoenix treats birds and other animals. Andy McDonel is a Chase employee whose company organized a cleanup effort at the location on Sunday, primarily focusing on property maintenance.

“Because they have such limited volunteer resources," McDonel said, "it’s good for us to come and just apply our full force to it and get it done for them.”

Laura Hackett, an education facilitator at the center, said there’s only 5 to 6 paid staff members. As a result, she depends on volunteer efforts year-round to keep the site operating.

“Weeds spring up like crazy here so we can never stay on top of it on our own," Hackett said. "So that is huge to help us out with that.”

Hackett also said other volunteers help the center out remotely by working a hotline for those who find injured animals.

 

Matt Kling was an intern and reporter at KJZZ from 2018 to 2019.