It was so sad when the castle-style playground at Stadium Place in Waverly, built with much enthusiasm by local volunteers for neighborhood children, burned last fall. The good news is that now it's being rebuilt, and you can mark your calendars now to help with the effort next month.

The volunteer effort is to take place from May 5-10. You can sign up for shifts and learn about more ways to help here. Free child care for kids 10 and under will be provided for volunteers. If doing the physical labor isn't your thing, you can contribute meals for the volunteers or make a donation.

The volunteers' Web site says it took 5,000 volunteers and 400 cooks to build the playground the first time.

(Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Barbara Haddock Taylor)