An army of volunteers roamed the streets of East Lansing Sunday in an effort to help their neighbors.

More than two dozen volunteers gathered outside East Lansing City Hall just after noon Sunday to rake leaves for East Lansing residents who cannot rake their own yards.

Mel Bushman, a former MSU faculty member and East Lansing resident of more than 60 years, appreciated the volunteers’ work, saying the service was “very helpful.”

Bushman has trouble raking leaves because of his back, which was injured in World War II.

The event was put together by the East Lansing Community Relations Coalition, or CRC. The CRC was formed following riots at MSU in 1999 in order to improve relationships and communication between the city of East Lansing and MSU.

In addition to volunteer work and other functions, the CRC organizes forums between East Lansing residents and MSU students and faculty.

Participants in the event brought rakes and split up into small teams before going to eight homes in East Lansing.

The turnout was larger than event organizers anticipated, and many teams finished sooner than expected.

The volunteers were mostly students, including several members of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity.

“I like being active in the community. It’s just important to me,” said Ann Ruggiero, APO member and urban and regional planning senior.

Lindsay Schmidt, political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore, came to the event with the James Madison College Student Senate.

“I just think it’s a good thing to do, to establish being in a new community,” she said. “And I like taking part in a community of people who have the same interests.”

CRC intern Rachel Frierson said the event went well, and the residents who participated were pleased with the service.

Future events to be put on by the CRC include a forum for residents and students to discuss community issues and a trash cleanup following the Saturday football game against the University of Michigan.