Eight Auburn University students helped Selma City Councilman John Leashore clean up part of Ward 6 on MLK Holiday.

Caroline Herringdon, Karlie Burrell, Alexandna Fields, Laura Bradley, Jamie Newsome, Kara Shaddiy, Reid Cacaro and Brianna Spark all met at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and began cleaning up part of Ward 6, which is Leashore’s district.

“I appreciated the kids showing up to help clean up part of the ward,” Leashore said. “I needed help cleaning up my ward.”

Before the cleanup began, Leashore gave the students a brief history of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and Dr. F.D. Reese, who was pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church from 1965 to 2015. He was succeeded by Rev. James Perkins, Selma’s first black mayor. He also told the students about the historic Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.

Burrell, who’s from San Antonio, Texas, said she was thrilled to spent part of the holiday in the Queen City.

“I was excited to come down to give back and help on this special day,” Burrell said. “I’m glad to hear about all of the stories on what happened here.”

Fields, a Nashville native, said she grew up volunteering on MLK day, which honors Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“It’s real important that I’m in Selma today and give back,” Fields said. “When I was younger, we always did stuff for MLK day. “

Perkins also spoke to the students and thanked them for volunteering their time.