Love might, in fact, make the world go ’round but it’s volunteers, selfless individuals who often work behind the scenes with neither pay nor notoriety, who make the world work — period.

That fact was on display in the greater Marquette area Saturday when the United Way of Marquette County coordinated its Day of Service program, a volunteer opportunity for individuals who wanted to lend a hand to those in need.

And area residents, including a great many young people, answered the call with about 40 participating. They assisted older adults and frontline workers with winter cleanup by raking yards and grocery delivery.

“… The need is there in the community and (we) have people ready to fill the need so let’s spread the word to try to get more people onboard and really help take care of the community,” Andrew Rickauer, United Way executive director said in a Mining Journal story before things got moving Saturday. “So that’s what the Day of Service is kind of highlighting, the whole project.”

In recent weeks, the United Way has conducted a half dozen of these projects, including raking yards and preparing meals for the Janzen House. Volunteers played key roles in that work, too.

We salute the United Way for providing leadership to make this kind of program work.

And, above all, we recognize the volunteers, individually and as a group, who showed up and got involved when it would have been easier to stay at home.

Our thanks go out to you.