As happens every fourth Saturday in October, thousands of folks eager to serve others swarmed across O'ahu, the Neighbor Islands and the Mainland in what has become America's largest day of volunteering:

It's the 14th annual Make A Difference Day, created by USA Today and operated in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation.

At Natatorium Beach Park next to the Waikiki Aquarium, an estimated 250 volunteers literally waded into the effort.

As part of The Alien Algae Control Program, their task was to rid the beach waters of a menace known as Gracilaria salicornia — a nasty invasive algae that smothers native coral and algae.

Trisha Nakamoto of Makiki spent the day at Kapi'olani Community College, sorting through donations for the Toys for Iraq project. Schofield Barracks will help send the toys to children in Iraq. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

The algae was introduced in 1974 for experimental aquaculture — before invasive algae was considered a problem.

Yesterday, Hunter turned to volunteers such as Kelsey Lloyd, a 21-year-old Hawai'i Pacific University student, who heard about the program through HPU's dive club.

"Scuba divers collect the algae from the bottom and put it into bags," said Lloyd, explaining the process. "And then snorkelers dive down, grab the bags and bring them up and put them into a dinghy."

From there, the burlap sacks of algae were brought to shore and lifted hand over hand by a bag brigade known as "the chain gang."

Eventually, each bag was dumped onto sorting tables where more volunteers separated the bad algae, 4 tons of which was hauled away, from the good algae and small sea creatures, which were returned to sea.

"My son, Aaron, likes to save the little starfish and sea crabs which we put back into the water," said Angie Salazar of Hawai'i Kai, who worked with the sorting team. Even as she spoke, Aaron's eyes were riveted on a sea slug that he delicately placed into a bucket of sea water.

"If they see that they can make a difference, then that will ultimately help us to heal this environment," said UH botany professor Celia Smith, an event coordinator. "We do this periodically."

Volunteers interested in making a difference on a regular basis can call the Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i at 537-4508 and join the next algae cleanup, she said.

Difference makers of another sort were at work in front of the Kapi'olani Community College Chapel workshop and classroom near Diamond Head Road, where Trisha Nakamoto and other volunteers sat in the shade and collected and sorted bags of toys.

The "Toys for Iraq" idea was the brainchild of KCC student Kristina Schrull and Zachary Allen, a high school student mentored by KCC Service Learning coordinator Phoenix Lundstrom.

While Nakamoto and friends sorted toys at KCC, Lundstrom and other volunteers were doing the same thing at Castle High School.

"Zachary and I were talking about him doing some community service work," said Lundstrom. "He's got a little brother that he adores, and he knows how much kids like toys. I know it means a lot to him that this has worked out so well."

Back at KCC, Nakamoto echoed the sentiment.

"The response has just been tremendous," she said. "People have been calling and coming by to drop off toys. We've got stuffed animals, story books, crayons, pens and pencils, clothes and athletic shoes galore for kids — and I mean name brands like Nikes and Reeboks."

Nakamoto said the toys would be shipped to Iraq through Schofield Barracks. She said that although the Make A Difference Day drive ended yesterday, the KCC Service Learning Room 118 at the Olona building will continue to accept toys until next Friday.