To the editor:

They say it takes a village; in this case it took our community.

Hats off to everyone who was part of the positive Build a Better Briscoe effort on Saturday, May 16 to help improve the grounds at Briscoe and beautify our city.

Briscoe Middle School has a whole new look — a tribute to the past with our eyes on the future. What an amazing day!

More than 200 volunteers came down on that Saturday to dig holes, plant trees, prune bushes, rake leaves, lay cobblestone, pick up trash, move bushes, fill wheelbarrows and spread mulch.

There were Briscoe students, teachers, city leaders, state leaders, elementary school students, parents and folks who had just moved to Beverly.

People came together on Saturday morning with one goal in mind — to work together toward a positive change that would benefit everyone. Some came for the day, some came for an hour, but everyone did what they could! Thanks to everyone who came out.

Many thanks to our local businesses and Beverly residents who stepped forward with monetary and in-kind donations to make this day possible. Special thanks to: Dawson's Hardware; Gelsomini Construction; Junk Yard Dog; Gove Lumber; Archer Insurance; Sheri and David Carnevale; the Sabatini family; Pallazola Landscaping; North Shore Pediatrics; Beverly Cooperative Bank; Barnside Gardening; Appleby & Wyman Insurance; Carmen-Kimball Insurance; The Beverly Improvement Society; The Cummings Center; the Petroccione family; the Frazier family; the O'Grady family; the Brodette family; the Stone family; Peter and Lisa Gilmore; the Kline family; the Johnstone family; William and Louise Scanlon; Dr. David Cormier, DDS; the Hall family; Danversbank; the Serpa family; the Gallagher family; the Ploszay family; the Giardina family; the Whitehair family; the Gelsomini family; the Fogerty family; Pediatric Dentistry of the North Shore; Frasca Dentistry, DMD; Fortunato Insurance; James and Catherine Norton; Glenn Scott Photography Inc.; Maureen E. Troubetaris; Bob Gilligan Landscaping; McInnis Paving; CVS Pharmacy; Stop and Shop; Shaw's Supermarket; Todd's Sporting Goods; and the McKeown, Ayers, Centerville, Hannah, North Beverly and Cove elementary schools.

A special thanks to the city departments; school administrators and individuals who helped coordinate this all-city event and necessary services in short time: Briscoe Principal Matthew Poska; Superintendent Jim Hayes; Briscoe teacher Lou Ann Faria; Mayor Scanlon; Public Works Director Michael Collins; Corliss Brothers; Beverly Forestry Director Phil Klimowitz; Tim Liporto; Gilmore and Jacobowitz; John Archer; and the staff and students of Briscoe Middle School.

This day shows the great things we can accomplish together. We are grateful to everyone who had a hand in making this happen.

There are more good things to come. To get involved, please contact any one of us.

Thanks again and congratulations to one and all.

Caryn Gallagher

Laurie Gelsomini

Diane Giardina

Debbie Ploszay

Kathy Whitehair

The Build a Better Briscoe Committee

Beverly