Over 1,300 volunteers signed up to spend a few hours on Sunday afternoon to help Glassboro residents with their springtime cleaning as part of “Back to the Boro.”

The annual Rowan University event allows students to give back to the Glassboro community. The Glassboro residents who received help submitted one-day work project applications for Rowan students to finish. Participants worked to pick up trash, paint and mulch gardens, to name a few. The one-day, student-run service project organized by Rowan’s Student Government Association (SGA) completed 185 jobs this year.

“Our message and our mission remains the same, to simply say thank you,” said Anthony Wohlrab, SGA president.

Students and faculty were encouraged to come out and be a part of the collaborative clean-up project. Wohlrab said one of his goals since the beginning of the year was to involve staff and administrators because they too are part of the Rowan community. Faculty across campus who made an appearance were President Ali Houshmand and Vice President for University Advancement R.J. Tallarida, Jr.

Morgan Jenkins, editor-in-chief of Hey-Marlene, participated in a group with the publication’s senior editor, treasurer, secretary and two staff writers.

“The event was most definitely impactful,” Jenkins said. “The surrounding residents of Rowan’s campus get the short end of the stick when it comes to expansion, so this is a decent way of trying to mend the relationship residents have with students.”

Members of the Rowan Environmental Action League (REAL) also made sure to give back by removing branches, leaves and sticks for an elderly couple who both have heart conditions.

“I wanted to know that I gave back to Glassboro,” said Donald McKay, secretary of REAL. “I feel privileged getting to go to a university. I know I have a lot to be thankful for in my life and if I can help someone else in some way, I wouldn’t hesitate.”