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Veterans group gears up to take search for Codi Bigsby outside of Hampton

Water Team Inc. is looking for volunteers for the next search. The group is also planning to expand its search outside of the city.

HAMPTON, Va. — For the Hampton community, the search for Codi Bigsby is not over. It's been 12 days since the search began for the 4-year-old.

Since Friday, the community has really made the search their own.

RELATED: 'He is our little Spider-Codi' | Community putting up flyers, yard signs in hopes of finding Codi Bigsby

Water Team Inc., a veterans nonprofit based in Newport News, is one group that has covered a lot of ground in almost two weeks.

"We can’t serve in our military uniforms anymore. This is our new uniform and while sometimes it is heartbreaking, emotionally overwhelming, but I think we were built for that," said Joe Slabinski, who oversees the group. 

He said the group already searched many of the waterways and woods in Hampton.

On Saturday at 7:30 a.m., the group is revisiting the Boo Williams Sports Complex because it was too big to completely search with fewer people on Thursday.

"Hopefully at the end of that search, we can say we’ve thoroughly searched that and we can come to terms with it and say Codi is not there."

RELATED: Small search groups still working to bring Codi Bigsby home

He said the group already has about 30 volunteers signed up to help bright and early.

"They’re at a loss. They don’t know where to go or where to turn to still be able to help," Slabinski said.

If you want to join in the search, he said the more, the merrier. You can sign up through the group's Facebook page.

He asked if you are coming out to help search, you need to wear light or bright-colored clothing, gloves and boots.

Once volunteers arrive, the team will brief them. Slabinski said their number one rule when out searching is not to touch anything. They also ask everyone to walk slowly and look at everything from multiple angles.

"It's not a marathon. It's not a sprint. It's just a slow walk," Slabinski said. 

RELATED: Bond denied for Cory Bigsby in Hampton

As for next week, he said the group will start to set their sights outside of Hampton to find Codi.

"How far do we go? That all depends on how long Codi is missing," Slabinski said.

Slabinski said if you can’t get out and physically help search, another way you can support the group and keep the efforts going is through donations.

He said he’s blown away by the support the community has already shown throughout this entire search effort.

"Codi showed us that there is more good in the world than there’s bad. I only hope we can reciprocate it and find him," Slabinski said.

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