Refuge welcomes new resident volunteers
The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge offers a Resident Volunteer program to help with its staff shortfalls. Volunteers receive space and hook-ups for their RVs in exchange for their hours spent helping with maintenance, education and visitor services.
In April, the refuge welcomed Christine Columbus, who is working with visitor services, and Rick Herbst, who is working in maintenance, to the team. Both grew up around Minneapolis, Minnesota, and attended the same high school.
The couple has been RV’ing full time for five years and has volunteered at the Bonneville Lock and Dam and Wallowa Lake State Park in Oregon. The past three summers have found them at Blackhawk Park on the Mississippi River in De Soto, Wisconsin. They also spent seven months at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia.
“As for our favorite, like any parent, we would say, ‘We don’t have a favorite.’ But we do, and it’s ‘Ding,'” Columbus, who has 20 years of experience in office work and is an occupational therapy assistant, said.
Herbst has retired after 24 years of service in the U.S. Army.
“The most amazing thing about ‘Ding’ is the people,” she said said. “Everyone is so welcoming, helpful and gracious.”