A group that hopes to turn the old Brewton Middle School into a community center once it is vacated is organizing a cleanup day at the school on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The group hopes to clean up weeds and other debris around the school, which will be vacated at the end of the year when the school moves into its new building on U.S. 31 North at Old Castleberry Road.

Everyone is welcome to attend the cleanup, and organizers said they hope to have local church youth groups involved in the effort as well.

Refreshments will be served after the cleanup.

The group, operating in tandem with the Coalition for a Healthier Escambia County, hopes to turn the old middle school into a community center, with programs for children, adults and seniors. Brewton pediatrician Dr. Marsha Raulerson has secured grant funding for the community center as part of a three-pronged effort to reduce childhood obesity.

The city last year set aside $100,000 for the purpose of a community center, but city officials have said they cannot sign off on the idea until legalities over transferring the middle school building have been settled. The city school board owns the property until it vacates the building, at which point it will be owned by the city.