Berry College students were out in force Saturday for the annual freshman service day, helping to improve and beautify a number of areas around Rome.

The Saturday event was the 14th annual edition of the service day, which places freshmen students with previous service day volunteer mentors and faculty throughout the county.

While many colleges offer an optional service experience to new students, Berry is one of few institutions that require all new students to participate.

And that wasn’t a problem for Brooke Clement, who said she was more than happy to be helping in the outdoors.

“I think they’re really good for the community, and especially since I’m coming into a college that’s getting all of us freshmen to get out instead of most colleges that just, you know, ‘here’s college’ and not doing much to get us into the community,” Clement said.

Freshmen students Austin Sumter and Brittany Giles said they, too, were grateful for the experience, especially working in the outdoors at the Marshall Forest Preserve off Horseleg Creek Road.

Students working at the preserve were working to clear brush and invasive species from the old growth forest.

“We really like it,” Giles said. “It’s very enjoyable giving back to the community and it makes us feel like we’re doing something worthwhile.

“It’s a good start to our college experience,” Giles added.

Other areas where students were working included but were not limited to Rome and Floyd County schools, Habitat for Humanity projects, Rome Action Ministries, the YMCA of Rome and Floyd County and the Rome-Floyd County Library.