They play baseball with special-needs children in Plymouth.

They feed the homeless in Detroit.

They go to Inkster to mentor youngsters living in foster homes or homeless shelters.

Across metro Detroit, a group of young Sikhs from the Plymouth-Canton area is making a tangible difference by helping others in need. They are called Seva4Everybody — seva being a word that means selfless service.

"We feel like we can help everyone in our community," said Harman Singh, the group's director of operations. "It is our responsibility as human beings. Our goal is to make a positive impact."

One recent Saturday, Seva4Everybody volunteers once again returned to the Miracle League of Plymouth to play baseball with special-needs children. It's a visit Deb Madonna, the league's president and commissioner, said makes a huge difference.

"We can't really have a game without volunteers," she said. "The kids get to go out and play baseball and the volunteers get a chance to help somebody play. It's good for them, too. I think the helpers sometimes get more out of it than the kids do."

Singh called Seva4Everybody's work "amazing, transformative." Since the group formed in March of last year, more than 100 volunteers — high school students, college students and recent college graduates — have volunteered their time.

"It's something from your own heart and it changes your personal perspective of the world," Singh said.

The volunteers mostly come from the Mata Tripta Ji Gurdwara Sahib of Plymouth, dubbed Hidden Falls, and the Gurdwara Sahib Singh Sabha of Michigan in Canton.

Seva4Everybody has partnered with the United Way, Salvation Army, Miracle League, Covenant House and Starfish Family Services, among other organizations.

Aside from helping people, the work also gives the group a way to build bridges in the community and help others better understand their culture. They often get questions about the turbans Sikh men wear as a humble, religious expression.

Sikh volunteers are hopeful their efforts will lead to good relations in the community. Singh said Sikhs in America have often been victims of harassment, hate crimes and school bullying. He said one study conducted by the Sikh Coalition found that turbaned Sikh children experience bullying at more than double the national rate.

"By proudly serving our community," Singh said, "we hope to disassemble the differences that separate us."

The special-needs baseball field in Plymouth seems the perfect place to do it. It's a place where getting a hit and making it to base is more important than focusing on differences.

It's volunteerism that makes a difference. Just ask Madonna.

"We couldn't do anything without our volunteers," she said.

dclem@hometownlife.com

Twitter: @CantonObserver

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