Aaron Lyles lives just a block from the Woodland Playground. He spent the day there with other volunteers from the Crusaders for Christ Christian Academy cleaning up, digging holes and planting trees.
Lyles says, "It's good how people come together and do things such as this. We really need a lot more of it. And hopefully we're setting an example today."
Sahkee Hart from the Crusaders fro Christ tells us, "I have desire to help the community, and this is how we can give back. I love giving back because this is what we need."
The Crusaders had lots of help. Not just here, but city-wide thousands turned out for today's "Cleanup Philadelphia" effort.
After kicking off the day-long event at City Hall this morning, Mayor Nutter made his way to Southwest Philadelphia to help the Crusaders, neighborhood volunteers, and Members of the Horticultural Society with the playground project.
The University of the Sciences baseball team, whose game was cancelled due to the expected rain, also pitched in to help the effort.
Peter McCauley says, "It's right next to our school, it's in our community, and I think just helping it look better, and getting some trees into the neighborhood, will really help out. And it's just a good thing to do."
Mayor Nutter said this project, and the many others in the city today, fulfilled his expectations. He told Action News, "Cleaning up Philadelphia is very, very important, and that was the main point. But there are some secondary benefits to it, which are really about community building - getting people actively engaged and involved."
Cleanup Philadelphia may just be a one-day effort so far, but after what was done today its effects will be seen and felt for quite some time.