Make a Difference Day, the largest national day of community service, sponsored by USA Today, will be concentrating on the area along South River Street near the Wilkes University campus.

Wilkes University is partnering with In the Gap, a nonprofit agency affiliated with the River Street First Baptist Church.

The goal is to get students involved on South River Street and help clear weeds, trim hedges, paint porches, power-washing and just general repairs in the neighborhood.

The area is not known as being the most friendly and open space, so, according to Megan Boone, community service coordinator, “It’s going to be a lot of closed doors, closed windows and closed blinds.”

This event is a chance for the students, neighbors surrounding the campus, and neighbors in that neighborhood to have a “meet your neighbors” kind of day and break down barriers.

Wilkes encourages its students to participate in community service acts, and Boone added that the university is trying to prove “our words aren’t empty. Wilkes wants to be a part of the community and we are invested in the community around us.”

Make a Difference Day is open to students, staff, and faculty of Wilkes along with the congregation of the River Street First Baptist Church.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, but register by Wednesday, Oct. 24. On that Saturday, everyone attending should wear old clothes and meet in the Henry Student Center before walking over and learning what job they will be doing once they arrive onsite.

After the work is done, there will be a barbecue on the greenway for everyone to relax.