SPANISH FORT—Renan Little had never even heard of 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center two years ago when a friend asked if she’d like to ride to the sprawling Spanish Fort camps on a lunch break.

After driving through, Little was so intrigued she returned the very next day and asked Manager Hank Burch about volunteer opportunities.

Two years later, Little spends her Saturday mornings doing research for the environmental education center’s exhibit hall and raves about the community she’s found.

A self-professed outdoors enthusiast, Little said she’s found like-minded souls at 5 Rivers who understand her 30-year love for canoeing, kayaking and even the occasional hunting trip.

“This is a wonderful end to a stressful week,” said Little, who serves as the fiscal officer for the Mobile Metro Jail. “It’s something I look forward to every week. It’s not the first volunteer position I’ve ever held, but it’s by far the best.”

Little also discovered a hidden talent since joining the 5 Rivers family as the resident “critter clothier.”

The center is home to Loretta the opossum who must be walked regularly to combat obesity common for the creatures kept in captivity.

Little said 5 Rivers Assistant Manager Shonda Borden was attempting to use a ferret harness to walk Loretta but with little success.

“I told her to let me take it home and see what I could do with it, and possum fashions were born,” Little said.

Indeed, Loretta might just be the best-dressed possum in South Alabama because Little has fashioned an array of special-occasion harnesses to help her strut her stuff.

“We’ve got Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, she was a witch for Halloween, and she wore a red fur coat at Christmas,” Little said, noting Loretta prefers her leopard-print jacket to the spiffy holiday attire.

“It’s really taken on a life of its own. It’s to the point where I see a piece of fabric I like and I think, ‘That would look good on Loretta,’” Little said.

And with the center’s newest arrival, a skunk, Borden said Little’s design duties might soon double.

Little said she welcomes the challenge and wouldn’t trade her new outlet for anything.

“The people here are so passionate about what they do, and I have yet to see one of them having a bad day. If they ever do, you’d never know it, and I just love being here and part of this atmosphere,” Little said.