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Volunteers Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day With 72-Hour Service Project At Brooklyn Church

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Volunteers in Brooklyn are celebrating the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday this weekend by giving back.

In the basement of the Bedford Central Presbyterian Church, volunteers are hard at work -- taping, painting, re-doing the floors, hanging new lights and new shades.

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Volunteers in Brooklyn celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by giving back. (Credit: CBS2)

The group is freshening up the fellowship hall of the historic church.

It's part of a 72-hour service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

They're working in shifts -- some for one hour, some for 10 hours -- to make a difference.

It was organized by a community nonprofit called 500 Men Making a Difference, founded by Wayne Devonish.

"We should really do something that's in solid memory of what Dr. King did, and that's kind of what we want to do," Devonish told CBSN New York's Nick Caloway.

But the volunteers aren't just men.

Some Cub Scouts are helping with the paint.

"I like painting ... because I've done this since I was 4," volunteer Aaron said.

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Volunteers in Brooklyn celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by giving back. (Credit: CBS2)

A group of sorority sisters from John Jay College of Criminal Justice also volunteered their weekend.

"We're from Kappa Phi Alpha, and we're here volunteering today to, of course, give back. We're a very philanthropic organization. So we're here to volunteer our Saturday to help out the community," volunteer Brianna Brown said.

For this weekend of service, organizers say they chose the church for the good work done they've done for the community.

"They'll continue to be the beacon that they have been in the community. Just really providing food pantry, providing various services for children, for senior citizens," Devonish said.

The 72 hours of service wraps up Monday night at midnight.

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