Blackville Town Councilwoman Vivian Alston assists Boston College students Molly LaPoint, Maggie Moran and Elena Pezzino in giving a fire hydrant on Main Street a fresh coat of white paint Thursday, March 7.

Instead of heading to the beach, 12 Boston College students used their spring break to beautify the town of Blackville.
"We wanted to experience something different for spring break," said Molly LaPoint, a senior who is originally from California. The students raked the yards of houses, cleaned up at the cemetery, painted the Blackville Country Club, and painted fire hydrants along Main Street.
They are part of their college's Appalachia Volunteers Program, which meets weekly to learn about those in America who are poverty stricken and culminates in the spring trip to struggling regions of the country. The programs "seeks to build a better future by entering into solidarity with the impoverished of Boston and beyond," according to the school's website.
The group in Blackville, which was sponsored by the Blackville Community Development Corporation, was one of 28 from Boston College who worked the week of March 4 in communities from New York to South Carolina.
Freshman Maggie Moran, originally from New York, considers herself "very lucky" to be able to use her time to help out Blackville and learn about the town. "We love Blackville," she said.
LaPoint agreed, saying they've enjoyed the Southern hospitality of everyone in Blackville and experiencing some of what the small town has to offer, including Healing Springs and Miller's Bread Basket. "We've definitely felt very welcomed and had a great week," she added.
That feeling of gratitude is mutual, said Vivian Alston, a Blackville town councilmember, who called the group a "real asset" to the town.