Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

Donations are pouring in to help oil spill relief efforts in the Gulf Coast. So much so, that the main volunteer group in southwest Georgia is asking you to stop donating…for now.

Wayne Schaffner with the newly formed Georgia Wildlife Rescue Association says they don’t need any more donations. The group originally was collecting DAWN dish soap, Pepto-Bismol and more to help save animals covered in oil in the Gulf Coast.

Hundreds of donations have since been dropped off at the Thronateeska Heritage Center, Flint RiverQuarium, and Harvey’s Supermarkets. Friday will be the last day the group collects donations.

“Basically we got the word very early that the more organized we were and prepared we were, they could deploy us with very little effort,” Schaffner said.

Thanks to an overwhelming amounts of donations, the rescue association says they’re the most prepared group in the southeast. Over the last few days, DAWN and Pepto-Bismol donations are up 50 percent and towel donations are up 100 percent.

“That really was information that was helpful in deciding ‘OK, we need to pause this part of the effort right now.’”

Schaffner is keeping an inventory of every single item that’s donated so that when there is a need again, they’ll know exactly what to tell you to donate.

“We encourage people to keep communicating. Look at what we’re offering in terms of information so that we can all recognize whatever the need at the moment is. This thing is just daily evolving.”

The group has a Facebook page with over 400 members. Schaffner says that’s where they’re sending out any donation needs or updates.

Also click here for information on animal rescue efforts.