Natchezians will celebrate Make a Difference Day Saturday with several volunteer projects that will include cleaning playgrounds, singing for senior citizens and cleaning a thrift shop to benefit abused children.

The Mayor’s Youth Council will work on the new thrift shop building to be used by the Sunshine Shelter for Abused and Neglected Children. They will also work with the Salvation Army to convert a former juvenile detention center to a multipurpose activity and learning center.

Gretchen Kuechler with the City of Natchez Planning Commission is coordinating the project with assistance from Will Jones, President of the Mayor’s Youth Council.

Morgantown Junior Beta Club members will be sprucing up Morgantown Elementary School’s playground Saturday.

Members will clean up the playground and decorate & paint barrels to be used as trash receptacles. This project is coordinated by Barbara Winston, sponsor of the Morgantown Elementary Junior Beta Club.

The Central Alternative School Choir will visit residents of the Adams County Nursing Center in Natchez to &uot;make a difference.&uot; Choir members will entertain the residents with spirituals. Also, students who are not affiliated with the choir will create potpourri balls to distribute to each of the 120 residents. Coordinating the project is Berthenia Rose Jackson.

About 40 students from Cathedral’s Key Club, National&160;Honor Society and Student Council will volunteer Saturday at the Adams County Humane Shelter on Liberty Road, said Pat Cox, volunteer at the shelter.

&uot;They’re going to clean up and help spread gravel in the low areas,&uot; she said.

State Farm Insurance Company’s Winter Relief Drive is a two-state (Mississippi and Alabama) effort to collect coats, toiletries and other supplies for the Salvation Army.

During the week of October 18-22, contributions will be collected at participating State Farm agents in Natchez: Terry Estes, Doug Nigreville, and Ken Whittington.

More than two million Americans participated in the 8th annual Make A Difference Day and nearly 14 million people were helped as a result of that volunteer force.

Make A Difference Day is the nation’s biggest day of community service. Individuals, corporations, government leaders and charitable organizations take action to help others on that day.

Each year, Americans are asked to spend the fourth Saturday of October &uot;making a difference&uot; in their communities.

Make A Difference Day was created in 1992 by USA WEEKEND, in partnership with The Points of Light Foundation, to challenge and reward volunteers.