Things are quiet around Pine Island right now, but that doesn’t mean our team’s not hard at work!

Now that the winter flood is complete, our teams remain busy with sanding. Since this time of year is when team members start to take well-deserved vacation time, it falls to those remaining to do whatever it takes to step up and fill in various positions. For instance, Kelvin Colon has been learning to run the sander, while Vincent Arnwine has been learning to run the tractor, to name just two. It’s been a good learning experience for everyone, figuring out how to do everything they do better every day.

Also in the spirit of continuous improvement, Pine Island hosted a class run by Bud’s Auto & Truck Repair of Sewell on the maintenance and repair of Deutz engines, which are what power our irrigation system. “It was a really nice class; we learned quite a bit,” says Equipment Supervisor Carlos Baez. “We learned about the timing and the adjustment, among other things. Now we know better what to look for and we can service it ourselves; we also know what extra tools we’ll need to have on hand. We’re prepared for pretty much anything!”

And last but not least, Pine Island spent some time giving back to the community. Administrative Assistant Debra Signorelli headed a collection for Feeding 5000, a local program she’s been involved with for the past couple of years. Through Debra’s and the team’s efforts, she was able to bring them four large bags of warm clothing to be distributed to the area homeless population. Well done, Debra!