University of Michigan Delta Gamma members, from right, Mariah Moncada, Sara Morosi, and Meghan Hendershot, work on making mittens at the Alpha Chi Omega house that will be donated to the homeless during a "Craft Crawl." The Craft Crawl was one of many different service projects that were planned for the first Greek Day of Service on the campus of the University of Michigan.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

Sorority and fraternity members at the University of Michigan performed more than 3,000 hours of community service Saturday as close to 900 students participated in the first Greek Day of Service.

The day of service was an idea forged by the presidents of the four Greek governing councils — the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Association, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Multi-Cultural Greek Council — who saw it as a way to work together and benefit the Ann Arbor community.

“The idea was that if our members are out working in the community making a tangible impact, a real difference could be made,” said senior Ryan Knapp, vice president of public relations for the U-M Interfraternity Council, and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. “The level of collaboration and teamwork that has been going on the past few months hit an apex today, and it was phenomenal to see it all come together.”

Students volunteered their time to help organize the ReUse Center, to sort clothing at the Salvation Army, to clear trails at the Miller Nature Area and to clean at the Lamaze Family Center, among other projects.

Gary Urick, manager at the ReUse Center, was grateful for the students’ help and their enthusiasm.

“Nonprofits rely heavily on volunteers on a day-to-day basis,” said Urick. “When you get additional help, you get to do the kind of projects we had student volunteers doing today — measuring doors and windows, testing Christmas lights, and helping prepare for the holiday season. I think it expands their awareness of the nonprofit world and lets them know the benefit of what they’re doing.”

Senior Katie Rosenberg, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the president of the Panhellenic Association, was the project manager for several of today’s projects including a can drive to benefit Food Gatherers.

“We were really, really successful especially with this being the first time, and we’re proud of the structure we put in place,” said Rosenberg. “We’ve got contacts in the community to build on, and we’re really optimistic that Greek Service Day will become an annual event.”

Leah Hsieh, right, a University of Michigan Alpha Gamma Delta member, and Taryn Krdywosinski, a Delta Delta Delta member, work on fleece "tie" blankets inside the Kappa Kappa Gamma house on Hill Street, Oct. 23, during a "Craft Crawl" that was part of Greek Service Day. The blankets will be given to patients at the U-M cancer center.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

Forty volunteers participated in the sorority Craft Crawl, with activities that included decorating place mats for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, making a fleece lap blanket for adult and pediatric patients at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, decorating cookies for the Ronald McDonald House, making dresses for children in Africa, making mittens for poverty stricken as well as homeless families in the U.S., and writing letters to American soldiers.

“The important thing is we saw this one day as a stepping stone for something much bigger in the future,” said Knapp. “We hope we have built lasting relationships with these organizations that will grow, and that our members continue to forge bonds with those that they have helped today and give many more hours of service during the rest of their time here at the University.”

Lisa Carolin is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Contact the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.