Scrubbing a tan mat with a soapy brush, freshmen Brenna Cassidy and Emily Loyco smiled as Thon officials signaled their group to stand so they could hose off the mats.

"We are the mat-cleaning champs," Loyco (freshman-secondary education) declared, noting how the other groups were still busy scrubbing the grime from the dancers' shoes that had been left on the mats since the 48-hour event in February.

Washing floor mats for the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon was one of 35 service opportunities offered Saturday during 2006's Fresh START-- Students Taking an Active Role Today, an annual day of service designed to get first-year and transfer students involved in the community.

"I know it's not exactly the most fun thing to do, but it's a really important job," overall operations chair for Thon Bill O'Tormey said to the mat-washing group.

The first incarnation of Fresh START appeared in 1999, and the program has been growing in size ever since.

Overall chairman for Fresh START Dan Barber said while 750 volunteer spots were available this year, more than 1,100 people applied to participate in the program.

Groggy participants filed into the HUB Alumni Hall at 9:30 Saturday morning, finding out which service project they were assigned to as they swiped their ID+ cards through a reader and received printed nametags.

"I was actually out late last night, but I got up anyway," Malerie Bickhart (freshman-communications) said.

Penn State Board of Trustees member Anne Riley kicked off the day by taking the stage and offering some words of encouragement to the volunteers.

"I encourage you to seize this day full-tilt boogie," she said.

A fleet of buses and vans then whisked some groups away to locations such as Black Moshannon State Park and Mount Nittany Medical Center, as others walked to their service sites.

Nikole Armstrong (freshman-business) and Elaine Lin (freshman-advertising) were assigned to help out with the "Day for Kids" festival on Allen Street.

They said they joined Fresh START because they love helping out, and they spent the summer volunteering in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia.

"There was prostitution there," Armstrong said. "We cleaned up used condoms."

Volunteers during Fresh START dealt with condoms as well, though in a more sanitary fashion.

Roopa Patel (senior-hotel and restaurant management) oversaw a group of volunteers making artificial roses out of condoms in red wrappers to promote safe sex.

"They're going to be handed out Valentine's Day from Health Services," she said.

Erin Golden (freshman-chemical engineering) said she was having fun making the roses but was surprised by the nature of the project.

"Not exactly the service activity your parents would have picked for you," Golden said.

Patel advised that, because volunteers had to poke holes in the condoms to make the roses, the marred prophylactics are only for promoting awareness and shouldn't be used for protection during sexual intercourse.

Neal McDonough (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said he helped move equipment at Tiny Treasures -- a shelter for abandoned rabbits.

"We got to hold them, learn about different types and name a few," he said.

Cassidy said she and her Thon mat-cleaning partners had become fast friends.

"Look for us on Facebook," she said, then reconsidering, "No, it's going to be a private group -- invites only."