Over a dozen of Wareham's youth rose to the occasion over the weekend and began working to clean up their community.

Members of "Project: Uprising," a youth group from St. Patrick's Church in Wareham, spent four hours cleaning and restoring the Weweantic Shores playground on Sunday afternoon.

"I was driving around one day and thought this place was really disgusting and that the kids in the area didn't have a place to play," said Victoria Verrier, one of the leaders of youth group.

Verrier, a rising senior at Stonehill College and member of St. Patrick's Church, said Project: Uprising was started about three months ago because the existing youth group wasn't exactly engaging kids in the community.

Under the direction of Paula Wilk, the religious education director at St. Patrick's, Verrier was made the head of the youth group along with a few other church members and revamped the entire program.

"We want to get kids out there and helping in the community, see what it's like to do some real community service," Verrier said.

This was the kick-off event for the group, who spent hours cleaning up glass and debris, raking the grass and gravel in the park and sanded down wooden playground equipment and benches.

"It was fun. It felt good to do it," said Alex Atkinson, a member of the youth group.

About 15 kids ranging from eighth grade to seniors in high school helped out throughout the day.

"It's good to do something for the town, for the kids to help out where they're going to grow up and the people they're going to grow up with," said Daliza Cardoza, one of the co-coordinators of the group along with Verrier.

Verrier said the group plans on coming back to the park to repaint equipment on Sunday, July 13 and is looking for donations of swings, gravel and most of all wood to fix the dilapidated pavilion and its crumbling roof.

Verrier said they are looking to take on any other volunteer projects that people in town need help with.

"It's great to have all the kids working together and laughing," Verrier said. "It's a great sight to see."