A group of Pennsylvania college students will hit town Monday to work on sprucing up two homes in Atmore.

Alecia Glaize, director of Habitat for Humanity of Escambia County, said the trip by 19 Holy Family University students will mark the fourth time such a visit has taken place.

“Habitat has been hosting college students for the past few years as volunteers to help with our Brush With Kindness program,” Glaize said. “The difference this year is that we will also be doing some work in the Atmore area.”

Glaize said the only thing that would hinder work next week would be weather.

“We’ve seen some forecasts and we’re just hoping the weather will cooperate for what we have planned,” Glaize said. “You just can’t paint if it’s raining.”

Plans for next week include working on one house in the Brewton area and two homes in the Atmore area, Glaize said.

“We’ve had quite a few applications for the Brush with Kindness program,” Glaize said. “This program is limited because of the scope of work our volunteers can do. We basically do sprucing up on homes for elderly or low-income residents. Valspar donates the paint for the program, and we can take care of the labor with our volunteers. Volunteers will be painting, doing some outside work such as shrubbery and yard work. We pretty much just do minor exterior work on the homes that need that kind of help. We can’t take care of bigger things like leaking roofs or major repairs. The volunteer students don’t have the skills for that kind of work.”

The homes planned for some sprucing up in Atmore will get a fresh coat of paint on the eaves of the brick homes chosen for the weeks projects, Glaize said.

Glaize said more extensive cosmetic work will be done on a home in Brewton.

“We’ve had a home donated to Habitat that is located on Lovelace Lane,” Glaize said. “I don’t think we can fix up the home enough to use as a Habitat home, but we can certainly get it into shape to sell to someone. The proceeds of the sale will be used to fund projects of Habitat in the future.”

Although the students have workdays planned Monday through Thursday, Glaize said there will be a little fun mixed in for them as well.

“While the group is in Atmore on Tuesday, Cheryl Vickery with the Atmore Chamber has planned to take them on a hay ride history tour of the city,” Glaize said. “On Thursday, the group will be treated to a Beach Painting Party at the Hourglass with Lyn Gill and Sharon Peacock. Most of the students who come to our area for Habitat work always request at least one day at the beach. They group is planning a day trip to the beach on Friday.”

The group of students will be working and playing in the area during their spring break — all on a volunteer basis.

“These students have volunteered to spend their spring break working and we will benefit from their desire to help their fellow man,” Glaize said. “While they are here, they will be staying at the YMCA, sleeping on the floor, we have some wonderful people who will be preparing some meals for them. For those meals that aren’t covered by donations or gifts, they will have to pay for themselves.”

Glaize said anyone who’d like to make a contribution toward meals for the students during the stay can contact her at the Habitat office.

“We are always happy to have donations to help cover costs — especially since these students will have to pay for anything we don’t provide,” Glaize said. “We will have snacks available for them during their work days and three meals a day. Anything we can get donated to help keep their costs down will make their trip more memorable and better for them.”

To volunteer along with students next week or to make a donation to help cover costs of meals or snacks, contact the Habitat for Humanity of Escambia County office at 867-0095 or drop by their offices inside the Habitat Restore on Douglas Avenue in the old Winn Dixie shopping center.