Plenty of firefighters also are skilled in the building trades.

And thanks to that skill and some volunteer spirit, the almost derelict red shack in the left-field corner of Grogan's Field, off Baldwin Street in North Andover, is getting a complete makeover.

A group of off-duty firefighters led by Gary Wentworth, spent the past week gutting the building and putting on a new roof. Over the winter and spring, they say they will complete the overhaul, replacing the exterior siding, adding new doors and windows, installing handicapped-accessible ramps and bathrooms and upgrading the plumbing and electrical systems.

The only financial help they are getting from the town is $45,158 for materials. Wentworth and Booster Club President Terry Holland went to the Community Preservation Committee, which found that the building qualified for historic preservation, since it was once part of the old Johnson High School and housed athletic offices, showers and bathrooms. Lately, it had been used mainly for equipment storage, but was not fit for use by adults or kids.

All that will change by next summer, when Holland said more than 1,000 children will probably use the building every year. Holland said the high school, the Booster Club and youth sports leagues can use it during games, and the town's Youth Services department, which uses the field for its programs for neighborhood children, can use it for indoor activities.

Besides Wentworth, firefighter volunteers are Lt. Robert Bonefant, John Weir, Rich Bradley, Sean Bushnell, Dan Pas, Mike Risacher, Jack Risacher, Bill McCarthy, Jeff Crosby, Graham Rowe, Rob Hardacre and Liz Iminski.

The youth of North Andover and the entire community should give thanks to those who are giving back, in a very tangible way.