Lib Ruytenberg is WIRES Northern Rivers Branch Vice Chairperson & Bat Co-ordinator and has been an active and dedicated WIRES volunteer for some time.

Lib transitioned on her retirement from teaching in the classroom to helping WIRES in educating the community about native wildlife.

She is passionate about flying-foxes and as the Bat Co-ordinator for her branch she often has the chance to help rescue and care for many injured and orphaned flying-foxes.

Like any voluntary organisation our local branches could not operate without assistance with administration and new members and Lib has been involved in helping out in both these area's, which has also provided the opportunity for her to keep her technological skills up-to-date now that she is out of the full time workforce.

A crucial part of WIRES work is answering and responding to the hundreds and thousands of phone calls each year from members of the local community. Lib says that many of these calls can be resolved simply by providing information about wildlife to people and she finds most are very responsive and grateful for advice. Resolving concerns about wildlife and ensuring a positive outcome for both the caller and the native animal is a wonderful feeling.

However it is the rescue and care of wildlife that gives her the greatest pleasure, and for Lib there is nothing more satisfying than rescuing a newborn, orphaned flying-fox, caring for it for three months and then being able to release it back to the wild.

Not content with her already crowded volunteering, Lib is also proud to be involved in the bigger picture, and says "campaigning for wildlife preservation,(especially flying-foxes) is vital and will continue to take up my time."

Garry joined WIRES Riverina in April 2006 upon arriving to the area to work at the Barrick Cowal Gold Mine. 

The mine is located on the edge of Lake Cowal, near West Wyalong and is home to large numbers of native frogs, birds, mammals, raptors, bats, spiders, insects and fish. 

These animals and the lush fringing habitat is the perfect home for large numbers of Long-necked turtles, Eastern brown snakes, Blue-bellied black snakes and Tiger snakes.  During 2011 there was a mouse and black cricket plague in the area and with an abundance of food many of these species thrived.

National Volunteering Week runs from May 14 to May 20, and provides an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the contribution of Australia's many volunteers.

WIRES is taking the opportunity this week to profile just a few of our 2,000 volunteers, who work tirelessly to help rescue and care for many thousands of injured, sick or orphaned native animals each and every year.

What better way to start the week than where it all began with a short profile of WIRES co-founder, and committed community volunteer, Mikla Lewis.

Training courses are currently scheduled for Albury, Kings Langley, Illawarra, Lismore, Kurrajong, Sydney Northern Beaches, Forbes, Penrith, Goulburn and Coffs Harbour. WIRES needs caring people to help native wildlife.

If you have ever wanted to help and want to be ready to assist, look for a training course in your local area.

If there is no training scheduled for your area you can register to receive email updates on upcoming training courses.