BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- While many students spent the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday relaxing or catching up on studies from the recently-launched winter quarter, student-athletes from CSU Bakersfield embarked on their most recent community service task as part of the ongoing 'Project 3,000' initiative.

Members of the CSUB men's and women's swim teams and CSUB baseball assisted St. John's Missionary Baptist Church in the annual MLK Day cleanup project in southeast Bakersfield. Flanked by dignitaries from the community such as Mayor Harvey Hall, the Roadrunners pitched in by picking up trash on the roadside and vacant properties in the area.

"It's great to help out the community and this is an important day to help," said CSUB Director of Swimming Chris Hansen. "We plan on helping to clean up the streets from here on out, it's important to let the community know we are here for them."

'Project 3,000' is an ongoing community initiative spearheaded by CSU Bakersfield Athletics launched this academic year in which over 3,000 community volunteer hours will be donated by CSUB student-athletes, coaches and staff. To date the Roadrunners have been involved with community center openings, holiday toy drives, senior citizen activity days and hospital visits.