Approximately two dozen freshmen participated Saturday in the Downtown Business District’s fall Clean Sweep program which was offered as a community service project during the university’s orientation week.

Students were armed with garbage bags picking up litter along the sidewalks and roadsides on the southern section of Main Street and Speare Park. Other teams were assigned the task of either cleaning off or staining the kiosks that are along the street.

First-year students Hannah Nam, Molly Rosher and Alexandra Lawrence were on kiosk duty in the area of Main Street Market.

A majority of the fliers were off the kiosk, and they were using pliers to pull out the multitude of staples and pushpins left in the wood.

"It’s actually kind of satisfying pulling these," said Nam, of British Columbia. The students are required to sign up for a community service during the summer in which to participate, she said. "Anything to get my mind of stuff."

"I think it’s a really good idea," said Rosher, of Manhattan.

District Manager Terry Concannon said she was pleased with the turnout of students for the projects.

"It’s nice of them to stay for the weekend," she said. Concannon was also participating by pruning a tree near Brooks Pharmacy, the former Pelton’s Drug Store.

"We’re all volunteers," said Lawrence, of Boston. "I always love to do community service."

Lawrence also said the effort was "a way to get to know other people."

For seven years, a spring Clean Sweep effort has occurred in the downtown. The annual event has been considered successful, and several people requested a fall version, Concannon said. This is the fourth year Wesleyan freshmen have participated in the fall effort.

To contact Amy L. Zitka, call (860) 347-3331 ext. 211.

. or e-mail azitka@middletownpress. com.