Armed with rakes, cleaning supplies, paint brushes and children's books, nearly 200 students went to the streets of Lansing and East Lansing on Saturday to volunteer.
The kickoff of "Into the Streets," an MSU student-run community service organization, helped about 20 different nonprofit organizations.
The event began 12 years ago to introduce the idea of volunteering to students and community members.
Becky Thomas, communication senior and co-chairwoman of the event, said the student-volunteer efforts help to improve relations with residents of the surrounding community.
"By going out into the community and helping nonprofit organizations, students are not only helping people in Lansing, they are also showing the people in the community that they care and are setting goals for themselves," Thomas said.
The organization holds two projects a year. The other project is held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.
Some of the volunteer sites included Burcham Hills Retirement Center, Impression 5 Science Center, Lansing Parks and Recreation Department and Woldumar Nature Center.
Volunteers met at 9 a.m. to register for activities and to hear a speech about the importance of civic duty by Mike Brown, president of the Capital Area United Way.
"Never underestimate your work because when you make a contribution, you never know what kind of impact you will make and when you get out and get involved, you will learn more than you will ever believe," Brown said during his speech.
Brown also said volunteerism is critical for a community to grow and prosper.
At many of the sites, projects included painting houses, raking leaves, cleaning, storytelling and volunteering at a children's carnival.
Karen Casey, director of Service-Learning Center, commended students for volunteering the early hours of their weekend for community improvements.
"The students are wonderful, committed and want to be engaged in the effort to build culture of Lansing," she said.
Zoology sophomore Kayla Yusten volunteered at the greenhouse behind Old Horticulture to sort and prepare plants for the winter.
"It feels good to volunteer because I can feel like I did something for someone else," Yusten said.
