 | Bee in the Barn Hits Bookstores! Some of you know Tonya Wildfong as Team Elmer's co-owner and marketing whiz. While her head is always focused on business, she also has spent the last year following a long-time dream of writing a children's book. This month, her dream came to fruition. Her first tome, Bee in the Barn, has hit bookstore shelves! Tonya wrote Bee in the Barn after being asked what children's book she was reciting to her children. After she replied, “It’s just a nursery rhyme game that we made up,” the wheels started turning, and Bee in the Barn was born.  State Teacher of the Year Winner and National Teacher of the Year Nominee Joy Weiss loves the book. She states, “What an absolutely adorable book! As a former Kinder and 1st grade teacher, I loved not only the use of rhyme, but the five senses and body part embedded components. The pictures and graphics had me engaged and I can easily see young children pointing to pictures, asking questions and captivated by the adventures of the bee." The book was illustrated by Tomek Cichos, who lives in Poland. About Bee in the Barn Follow Bee’s funny antics as he meets a little girl and her dog. A wacky game of tag ensues taking bee and the girl from the barn yard and garden to the tree swing and pond. Board book purchase includes one Bee finger puppet to delight parent and child. These lovable, colorful characters make you want to come back to play again and again. Join Tonya for a book signing on Saturday, November 24 at 10am, Horizon Books, Traverse City. Bee in the Barn is available at Horizon Books or online. Click here to learn more or to order your own copy of Bee in the Barn! A portion of the proceeds benefit non-profit grief support center Michael's Place. | | Barge Bridge: Replacing South Manitou Island's Fuel TankSometimes, Mother Nature just doesn’t want to cooperate. Such was the case for Team Elmer’s as we prepared to transport a massive aboveground fuel storage tank from the docks of Ironton, Michigan to the shores of South Manitou Island. The 12,000 gallon tank, used to hold diesel fuel to run the Island’s generators and equipment, was intended to replace a rundown unit of the same vein on South Manitou. .jpg) The unit was barge-loaded and ready to make its maiden voyage across the waters of Lake Michigan...until the rain and waves started. But the storm wasn’t the only delay. In addition, when Team Elmer’s finally made it to South Manitou, the water table was down far enough to make an island approach nearly impossible for our sizable barge, provided by St. James Marine Company. .jpg) But Team Elmer’s is always up to the task when it comes to innovative solutions, and this one might have been the most inventive yet. Using St. James Marine Company's second, smaller barge, as well as a tugboat to push it as close to shore as possible, we built a “bridge of barges,” negotiating two and four-foot drops (between the first barge and the second and then down to the beach) by installing temporary ramps to bridge the gaps. Finally, Team Elmer’s put that bridge to use, crossing the ramps and boats with our cumbersome and sizeable cargo, and safely getting it to shore. After the logistical problem inherent in actually getting the empty fuel tank onto the island, the rest of the project seemed almost effortless in comparison. Team Elmer’s transferred 3,700 gallons of excess fuel from the old tank into holding cells for safe storage until the new tank’s installation was complete. After vacuuming all remaining fuel from the plumbing lines, we busied ourselves with the removal of the existing tank’s concrete skeleton and above-ground piping, extricating the old product from more than 1,500 feet of underground piping, and then removing enough of that piping to make way for the replacement. As our partners from R.W. Mercer set to work installing the new tank, replacing necessary piping, and getting the system ready for operation, Team Elmer’s reversed our previous steps, again utilizing our “bridge of barges” to re-load the old tank onto the boat for our return journey. After we had pumped the reserve fuel into the new, safer tank and gotten R.W. Mercer’s assurance that there were no leaks or installation faults with the project, we said our goodbyes and set sail for Ironton.  This time our trip was blessed with blue skies and calm waters. A reminder of a job well done and a logistical hurdle cleared with grace and innovation. Click here to see more photos! | |
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One of the best places in TC for breakfast and lunch? The 
Clean Up and Green Up!