With gloved hands and dirty shoes, more than 40 Northwestern students spent Saturday morning spreading woodchips and picking up trash in Washington Park on Chicago’s South Side.

The spring cleaning, sponsored by NU’s Campus Activities Office, the Chicago Park District and Chicago-based group Friends of the Parks, was part of a citywide beautification project to begin National Volunteer Week, which ends May 3.

NU students made up the majority of volunteers at Washington Park, which spans more than 400 acres of greenery.

Students spent several hours removing broken bottle pieces and other trash from playgrounds before covering the foundation with woodchips.

Although most of the renovations made to the park involved maintenance work, Washington Park supervisor Janie Collins said the improvements are invaluable.

Derek Supple, a Students for Environmental and Ecological Development executive co-chairman who volunteered at the park, brought several SEED members with him to volunteer. Supple said Saturday’s event persuaded him to promote a continued relationship between Washington Park and NU.

“(Being at) the park showed people that it was a safe place and a fun place to hang out,” said Supple, a McCormick senior. “It’s something we’ll definitely bring to (SEED) in the future.”