CINCINNATI — MLK Day is also known as the National Day of Service, a day meant to spend giving back to your community rather than just another day off from work or school. And some very dedicated volunteers braved the elements to make their community a better place.

What You Need To Know

• More than 50 volunteers braved the cold on MLK Day to clean up Cincinnati neighborhoods


• This is the second annual neighborhood cleanup held on MLK Day


• Organizers worried the cold would deter people but were surprised with the record number of volunteers 


• MLK Day is also known as National Day of Service 

Sarah Kent geared up to be out in the bitter cold.

“I’m ready!” she joked

The outreach manager at Great Park’s Nature Center at the Summit helped facilitate the cleanup of nearby neighborhoods, the second annual MLK Day cleanup for the group.

Sarah Kent walks to deliver more trash bags to volunteers. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

“People that I talk to are trying to do something for MLK Day that was significant, more along the lines of like service," Kent said.

Kent said she was worried about the turnout, considering the frigid temperatures, but was pleasantly surprised.

Kent smiles through the cold temperatures. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

“I was really thinking, because it’s so cold today, I thought use would only have like 10 people," she said. "And having like 50 people show up is amazing.”

Among those volunteers you find Carla Foster.

Carla Foster is the beautification chair for the Roselawn community. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

The executive vice president of the Roselawn Community Council is also the beautification chair, so cleaning up her community is important no matter the weather.

“I’ve been doing this for the past three years since COVID, trying to keep the streets of Roselawn clean," Foster said. "And by far this is the largest turnout that we have had for a cleanup in Roselawn. And I am grateful and thankful and overjoyed.”

Today, however, she wasn’t able to get as much trash as she would have liked.

Foster and Roselawn community council president Annie Ruth Napier laugh while cleaning up their community. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

“I only got half a bag today," Foster said. "It was an issue because it’s frozen!”

She’s just glad she and her community members were able to spend MLK day giving back.

“I think it’s very appropriate that this day be a day of service," Foster said. "Not just for people who look like him. But for all people because the message of community is just that, it’s community.”