Marshal University’s softball team wasted little time when asked to help with a playground cleanup project last week at Enterprise Child Development Center in Huntington.

Head coach Shonda Stanton and her team showed up with rakes and shovels to help with the initiative.

The team cleaned and reorganized three outdoor storage sheds, divided playground equipment in age-appropriate sections, as well as other tasks.

The team also helped clear a corner section of the playground that will be used to house raised garden beds. Once the garden beds are built, the children at Enterprise will help the staff in tending the flowers and produce as part of a learning process.

“We try and help when we can,” Stanton said in a press release. “We saw about the West End cleanup on Twitter and helped with that. The Huntington community is special to Marshall, and anytime our student athletes get opportunities to give back, we want to do that. We’re pleased that we were able to help.”

Stanton said it was a good experience for her players.

“It’s a joy to be around little kids because they have so much joy,” she said. “It’s great to help young people who can’t help themselves yet. Our athletes get lots of benefits. It’s good for them to be role models. They can make a difference in young people’s lives.”

Enterprise Director Jennifer Conkle said help from a lot of hands make a big difference.

“I really appreciate their hard work,” Conkle said. “That was a project we had been working on for a few weeks and had not been able to complete it. Those girls pulled together and finished it in a couple of hours. I can’t thank them enough.”

Marshall’s next game is an exhibition doubleheader against Concord University noon Sunday at Dot Hicks Softball Field in Huntington.

Imani Spradley can be contacted at [email protected].