To the Editor:

The Island spirit is defined by the perseverance of dreamers, and there was no place more evident of this spirit than the Niantic Park Playground over the recent five-day community build. It quite literally “took a village” to transform the dream of a small group of parents into magical play space that will bring joy to families for decades to come.

We would like to extend our deep thanks to everyone who contributed with open hearts, generous spirits, and sweaty brows. Island businesses, individuals, and families donated supplies, tools, food, time, work teams, and other resources that can’t be categorized. Build teams gave hundreds of hours, from sunup to well past sundown, often staying past their original shift, caught up in the palpable spirit and momentum of progress. Our volunteer build and food captains organized these rotating crews for 14 hours and three meals a day with energy and encouragement. Side by side we all dug, raked, screwed, measured, solved, painted, ate, cut, hoisted, and lugged to “raise” a playground from the dirt, knowing together we were making history.

When we think back to our first living room meeting over a year ago as the newly formed “Playground Committee,” we never imagined it would feel this good to witness what we are collectively capable of. The Niantic Park Playground Project truly showcased the heart of this community and proved that together we can write the story of our Island home.

In celebration of a job well done, we would like to invite all our volunteers and those who donated in any way to a “Thank You Celebration” at the Loft in Oak Bluffs. The event will be Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6 pm to 8 pm, with light fare and a fun atmosphere for those 21 and up.

Again, we thank you for helping change the world through the power of play. We will see you on the new Niantic Park Playground in Spring 2016. We’ll be with our kids, waving from the lighthouse, climbing aboard the steamship, or sliding down from the gingerbread cottage!

Niantic Park Playground Project Committee

Jen Shilling, Brian Packish, Jennifer Smyth, Holly Thomas, Greg Ehrman, Guinevere Cramer, Matthew Cramer, David Diriwachter, Veronika Buckley, Elizabeth Bonifacio, Nina Hitchen, Catherine McCarthy