(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by Xcel Energy.)

Volunteers came together on Friday to clean up stretches of the Mississippi River along Becker and Monticello as part of Xcel Energy’s 13th annual Day of Service.

About 30 volunteers, which included Xcel Energy employees and members of the community, removed trash from the river banks to improve the area’s natural beauty and limit the effects of the litter on wildlife, which can become entangled in trash or harmed by ingesting it. The event took place in collaboration with the City of Becker and the City of Monticello.

Day of Service was created as a tribute to the victims, survivors and first responders of 9/11, as well as all those who work to keep communities and the country safe. The annual volunteer event provides an opportunity for Xcel Energy employees and members of the community to contribute to local projects that benefit nonprofits and the larger community.

Last year, nearly 3,000 employees, contractors, friends, family, retirees and customers across the eight states Xcel Energy serves contributed 9,300 hours of volunteer work. Their efforts benefited over 100 nonprofits and generated an economic impact of $280,000.