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Because the homeowners could not stand to see their tree torn down, this Grosse Ile lighthouse was carved directly from the tree, which had been infected with the emerald ash borer.
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My name is Joan Scribner and my husband of 35 years is John Scribner.
We fell in love with a perfect home for us here on the island in 2000.
On March 9, 2001, we finally had our dream home on Chatham Road. At that time, John was working for DaimlerChrysler, and I was working for ChristNet Homeless Shelter.
We loved the trees, the canal and all the wildlife. A perfect place for us to retire to!
But soon after, we noticed that our old, beautiful tree, out front, was getting bare branches. We soon found out that our ash had the ash borer.
So, the fight was on!
John did some research and found that he could inject poison "bullets" into the trunk, all the way around, to try to kill the borer. John kept the dead branches cut off and kept trying to dose the tree so it could live.
I refused to accept defeat; it was really a great tree. So, for John it was "bullets" and more "bullets".
Alas, late last summer we had to admit that we could not save it. Now what?
I just couldn't have it cut down to the ground, the stump ground down and then nothing.
So we did some calling, searching and finally found a man who would carve it into "something": Milan Szkipala of the Chainsaw Men of Michigan, based in Sterling Heights.
The "something" was up to us as he had a huge book of his work. He didn't have what we wanted, but the Ile Camera did. November found us with a solution — the Grosse Ile light!
We had it cut down to 12 feet and then turned it over to Szkipala.
The carver started Nov. 2 and worked at his own pace — a few hours a day and a few days a week. He carved, stained, wood burned and put on a protective finish. You can't hurry perfection!
On Dec. 5, he brought his handmade top and fitted it on — perfect. On Dec. 11, it was finished.
We had a solar light in the top, but there just isn't enough sun in Michigan. We tried two or three different types, but no go. So now, John is wiring a light into the top that will come on at dusk and go off at dawn.
We love this monument and are so happy that it will be here for many, many years as a tribute to a very great old tree!
As John says: "And this tribute will be around for a long time, even if the tree isn't. So glad we did it!"
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