For five hours this past Sunday, O'Maley Middle School held a student/faculty/family clean-up and landscape day.

The 38 recorded volunteers who signed our sheet (and there could be a few I've missed) did a tremendous job through a collaborative effort to give O'Maley a much needed facelift. It looks transformed.

My family of four arrived at 9:45 a.m., followed shortly by Principal Tracey and his young son, our official "school helper" ready to go to work. People slowly trickled in throughout the day with tools and time to help, some spending hours, some spending 30 minutes. No matter what, it all helped and was all appreciated.

However, it just seems that, with a student body of 800-plus, the families and anyone in any way involved with O'Maley, there should have been more than 38 people — only a dozen of them students. It is a given that prior obligations, illnesses and such, may hinder attendance to a well-publicized school event like this. But surely, more could have found some time during the day to stop by, no?

That said, I'd like to send a special expression of gratitude to all of those who did play such a generous role in transforming our school. They included Ed Collard, Lisa and Kiara Olson, Amanda Mello, Maggie and Joe Rosa, Gerry Davis, Pat Hand, Pete, Bill and Noah Stevens, Sarah Collins, Ed Shoucair, David Marsh, Ryan Cilluffo, Aaron Cilluffo, Nick and Kirk Kenyon, Cody, Tom and Sandee Eaton, Sharon and Fionn McWilliam, Val Gilman, Carol, Jayme and Colby Allen, Erika Hansen, Gemma McCarley, Elisabel Rivera, Patti Amaral, Katerina and Lisa Kariores, Bob Greer and Dylan Viau,

Wolf Hill donated and delivered three yards of mulch. Dr. Tracey supported our efforts by purchasing six additional yards, and other businesses also donated gift cards toward feeding our crew.

Let's hope the efforts of all those who participated is a start — and that the concern, pride and respect will grow to keep O'Maley going in the right direction toward staying as beautiful as it was left last Sunday.

Deej Viau

Gloucester