Jill Herring, of Tifton, holds a baby raccoon that was bound for Thomasville where it would join other abandoned and injured critters at Lorraine Conklin’s rescue center.

There’s an old expression applied to things that move rather quickly from the very beginning: “Taking off like Lindbergh.”

And that description may well fit Chet Powell’s animal rescue project.

Just recently, Powell’s effort, known as Georgia Wildlife Rescue Program, held a training session in Tifton to certify animal lovers in animal rescue. Some 42 certificates were awarded in that regard.

One of those taking the course was Jill Herring of Tifton. And on Monday she had stopped in Moultrie on her way to Thomasville to deliver a couple of baby raccoons that had been orphaned. Her stop was to pick up yet another raccoon here in Moultrie. They were bound for a rescue center in Thomasville run by Lorraine Conklin, who has been at this task for the past 34 years.

“We’re getting calls all through the day, every day,” said Powell.

Powell said it’s the baby season for critters and as a result, traffic is very heavy for rescues.

Powell had just gotten off the phone with a man in Randolph County who had spotted a fawn on his property. Powell advised him to just leave it alone, that its mother was likely close by.

“And that’s all part of the training,” said Powell. “Quite often animals don’t need rescuing … knowing the difference is important.”

Already rescues have been made for numerous fawns, raccoons and foxes.

Powell said Facebook has really helped this organization connect with people who want to be involved.

“Facebook has been amazing,” he said. “Our next goal is to get a 1-800 number.” Meanwhile, the public can go to gawildliferescue.org for information about the rescue efforts.

Powell said the training program saw people from all over the state as well as Florida attending.

And he said the local project has been assisting an Atlanta rescue effort that goes under the acronym of “AWARE.”

“Of those who got the training here, three fourths of them have already answered calls,” Powell said.

Meanwhile, Powell is trying to confirm a couple of new American Bald Eagle nests in Colquitt County which would bring the total to five.

“That would mean at least 10 new baby eagles for the community,” he said.

Powell was heavy into wild animal preservation and education while he was the manager at Reed Bingham State Park. After assisting with animal rescues in the wake of the Gulf oil spill a few years back, he launched the Georgia effort.

While at Reed Bingham, Powell was involved in gopher tortoise conservation, a project that drew state and national attention. That program and other wildlife education efforts were abandoned following his departure as park manager.