Despite colder than normal temperatures, plus intermittent rain, volunteers were out in the community cleaning up yards. This is the seventh year students at Oxford High School have organized the Oxford Gives Back spring cleanup.

“All of the students are in the Oxford Schools Early College program at OHS,” teacher Laura Meritt said. “Our students are the ones who make this event happen each year. I am here to help them, but they do everything to make it work and are the heart and soul at the core of it.”

The students and volunteers help locals in Oxford, Addison and Orion who are in need including elderly, infirmed, impoverished, and single parent homeowners. According to the group’s website, “Oxford Gives Back is an organization affiliated with Oxford Community Schools that operates with the mission of building community relationships while motivating youth to exhibit leadership by making a positive impact on their own communities.”

The eight students who planned this year’s event are seniors Hannah Chiu, Logan Blankenship, Sophia Woudstra, Olivia Curtis, Leilah DeGasperis, Olivia Hoffman, juniors Rebekah Schuler and Adisen Berger.

The students recruited volunteers and six community sponsors, Merritt said. This year’s sponsors were Oxford Bank, Berkshire Hathaway Kee Realty, White’s Lawn Service, Legendary Improvements, Stuff Your Sack and Kairos Pizza.

Students this year cleaned up the yards of 44 homes. — Don Rush