Chico, Calif. -- Hundreds of Chico state students volunteered all around the area for the 8th annual "Cats in the Community" Day of Service. The event is meant to celebrate civil rights and labor movement leader, Cesar Chavez.

About 200 students volunteered at 14 different places on Tuesday, including the Chico Animal Shelter, Bidwell Park, the Jesus Center, and the Boys and Girls Club.

The holiday has become notorious for a day of partying in and around Chico State, but some students are instead focusing on giving back to the community.

Chico Wildcats spent the day placing gravel in the garden for the Jarvis Senior Apartments.

Meanwhile, other wildcats like the Chico State Women's lacrosse team spent the day picking up trash in Bidwell Park.

"We wanted to make a good name for our club. Represent sports clubs in the community while we had the time off," said Janelle Bettencourt, President of CSUC Women's Lacrosse Team.

Artists on campus also created a mural to honor Chavez. It was unveiled by the WREC center on campus at the end of the volunteering day.

If you would like to join in on the Cesar Chavez celebration this weekend, there is a food festival at the Sutter Courtyard until 1 a.m.