MIDDLETOWN — Raking the rotting catalpa tree bean casings from Miami Park’s muddy lawn was a chilling task Wednesday for those participating in Middletown’s Earth Day celebrations.

But for volunteer Deanna Isom, watching her granddaughter toddle across the park with a rake taller than her, she knew her efforts were making a difference.

“My biggest worry is I have three grandkids, and with the way things are now, I worry about the way the planet will be when they’re my age,” Isom said.

About 100 volunteers braved the rain and 40-degree temperatures to tackle the clean up of four parks, two days ahead of official Earth Day, which is Friday. The group — 60 of whom were from Kohls.com and 15 from Duke Energy Ohio — is the largest group yet in the city’s three years of park cleanups, said Jeff Michel, executive director of Keep Middletown Beautiful.

“I can’t believe the turnout,” said Gail Blevins, a KMB member who was making sure volunteers had plenty of hot dogs, sodas and desserts — all donated by Steve Dillman from the Save-A-Lot on University Boulevard. “It’s a thrill seeing the cleanup.”

Volunteers tackled Miami, Sunset and Douglass Park and removed brush from the new Armbruster Nature Preserve. About 15 trees, donated by Berns Garden Center, were planted at Miami Park, Michel said.

“This was our most productive day yet,” Michel said. “We are really making an impact with all of these people showing up to help.”

With 29 parks and only six parks employees working for the city, Public Works Director Dave Duritsch said collaborations with volunteers, KMB and city boards are invaluable.

“It’s really what it is all about when you think about our resources,” Duritsch said. “We have 100 people here and there is no way we can duplicate this amount of work.”