RANSOM, Ky. — While many young people spend their spring break lounging on the beach, a group of college students from Pennsylvania is swinging hammers as volunteers for the Phelps Area Habitat for Humanity (PAHFH) at Ransom Ky.

The group is part of Appalachian Experience, a program at St. Joseph”s University in Philadel-phia. Gerard Holmes is the leader of the group.

“St. Joe”s has 10 groups,” Holmes said. “We have 21 students in our group, freshmen through seniors. They are having a really good time.”

In a span of two and a half days, the students, along with their facilitators and two Habitat employees, had framed a house, built the walls, and were installing trusses to support the roof.

“It doesn”t feel like work at all,”said Paul Caruso, an 18-year-old from Tom”s River, N.J. “We went hiking in the mountains, something I had never done before. I learned how to install a ceiling fan. I am really enjoying myself.”

The group had plans to tour a mountaintop removal sight Thursday afternoon.

Molly McCarthy is an alumni of St. Joesph and has volunteered with PAHFH. She returned this year as a facilitator with the group.

“The group is learning skills they will use,” she said. “After working with Habitat, I was even able to repair the floor in my house,” she laughed.

The group working this week was scheduled to leave Friday to return home. Sue Akers, manager of the Phelps chapter of Habitat, says a new group is scheduled to arrive next week.