Team members at POET Biorefining – Hanlontown put their harness training to charitable use Saturday as they boarded an aerial lift and cleaned up an old railroad bridge that had become an eyesore in nearby Mason City, Iowa.

The project was coordinated through Mason City’s Volunteer Program.

“When [General Manager Kelly Hansen] contacted me seeking a large project that he and other POET employees could assist with, I immediately thought of this project, which I knew would be large and would need skilled, committed individuals to get it completed,” Volunteer Service Coordinator Mary Zishka said.

The railroad trestle, which is no longer used by trains, had become overgrown with weeds and was covered in graffiti. POET team members came on two separate occasions to power wash the structure, paint the concrete abutments and steel beems, and remove trees, shrubs and weeds.

“This was an opportunity to use our resources to help out the community,” Hansen said. “The bridge looks great, and we had a good time working together on the project.”

About POET
POET, the largest ethanol producer in the world, is a leader in biorefining through its efficient, vertically integrated approach to production. The 23-year-old company produces more than 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol and 10 billion pounds of high-protein animal feed annually from 27 production facilities nationwide. POET also operates a pilot-scale cellulosic ethanol plant, which uses corn cobs, leaves, husk and some stalk as feedstock, and will commercialize the process in Emmetsburg, Iowa. For more information, visit http://www.poet.com.

# # #