Now that Thanksgiving guests have gone home, most people will have some peaceful time alone in their homes until Christmas comes.

That is not the case for five Lawrence County homeowners who will soon invite as many as 300 people into their homes.

From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, the Ironton Co-Operative Club will sponsor its 36th Annual Homes Tour. Five private homes, one church, one school and a museum will be open for tour during the club's fund-raiser. Last year's tour attracted between 250-300 people.

One-third of the money raised from the tour will go toward various projects, such as getting new banners for the Memorial Day Parade and two-thirds will be used to support education, said Sharon Bradshaw, club member and organizer of the tour.

"The people opening up their homes or buying tickets are supporting education, something we need more of in this area," she said.

The club assists both traditional and non-traditional students with various forms of higher education funding, Bradshaw said. While grants may cover the actual cost of attendance, they may not cover the cost of materials necessary for different programs. One student the club helped, Bradshaw said, had the money to attend vocational school, but had no money for tools.

Ironton businessman Joe Unger and his wife Karen will open up their North Second Street home to visitors because of past works of the Co-Op Club.

"They do good, positive projects like helping with Tanks Memorial Stadium," Joe Unger said. "This is one way to say 'thank you' to a group that does so much for our community. The second reason is that Ironton has so many beautiful historic homes that have been saved and restored. We want to encourage people to save and restore the history and heritage of our city."

The Unger home was built in 1921 by Dr. Daniel Webster, a prominent Ironton physician, and was sold to George and Audrey Hunter in 1970. The Ungers purchased the house in 2001 and spent two years restoring it. During the process, Unger said, "pains were taken to save and not replace." The job could not have been done, he said, without Karen's vision and the help of their family.

Chesapeake businessman Judge Dolen and his wife Jackie will also open up their estate on State Route 243. The four-plus level home with six bathrooms became a restoration project for Dolen - a challenging one, he said. However, he is now ready to take on other restoration projects now that this one is complete. The family gained a peaceful, secluded home that holds Dolen's extensive collection of antiques.

Father Thomas Nau of St. Joseph Catholic Church said he is pleased the church is part of the tour. He said it will give people in the community who do not attend the church the opportunity to see it.

Other homes on the tour include the homes of Bridget Dickens and Judy and Keith Molihan in Ironton and Vallery and Mike Dyer on Rankins Creek, Collins Career Center, and the Lawrence County Museum. Tickets cost $10, and may be purchased from any club member or by calling Bradshaw at 533-0582 or 532-1865 or Anke McCown at 534-9057.