Hello! Honey Bear LLC is a Vermont, family-run Handyman business, consisting of myself (Ben), my pup and inspiration (Bear), and my supposedly “retired” father (Joe).
Get To Know Us
Benjamin “Benny” Perron
Social Worker turned Handyman. Ben spent his childhood between school, the ice rink, and Maplewood Nursing home helping his father take residents with Alzheimer’s/Dementia out on Recreational Trips. Ben assisted Joe in designing and building ways to allow residents with limited mobility, the ability to partake in past activities they once regularly enjoyed. Such as horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, bowling, skiing, etc.
After graduating college and just before the pandemic, Ben moved back to Vermont from Pittsburgh, PA. He began as a social worker while teaching ice hockey on the side. Once the pandemic was in full swing and our daily life was upended, Ben began work alongside Joe once again. Working under contractors in Windsor allowed for a newfound focus. After several years of learning the trade, Ben took his “need to help” attitude and new knowledge and began work in any way, shape, or form he could. With a wide variety of skills and patience to match, Ben looks to ease the burden that owning a home is for homeowners.
Bear
The mascot and inspiration for Honey Bear LLC. Bear was born in a Briar Patch in the woods of Alabama. After being rescued by “No Greater Love,” he began his travel north, letting his nose lead the way. The size of a fist still, Bear’s nose sniffed the maple air trail, and found his way to Vermont. With the gentle cast of a maple tree shadow, a stream trickling nearby, and plenty of food from the landowner, Bear began to bark “Home, Home at last.”
An adventurer at heart, Bear can be seen paddle-boarding the Connecticut River and chasing crawfish in the summer. In the Fall, as the temperatures lower and night falls upon us quicker, Bear rushes for the final chances to run trails and hike the mountains for those photo-perfect New England foliage views. No season compares to the winter, as long as, there are frozen ponds and several feet of snow. Bear loves nothing more than burying his head in the snow or trying to steal the puck away in pond hockey.
Outside of Adventures and being an unofficial OSHA dogvisor, Bear gives time to the residents of MapleWood Nursing home. Most weekend mornings are spent going up to each resident and spending a few minutes by their side, getting to know each individual for a more special bond.
Upon request Bear can be brought to the jobsite depending on said job. Easily distracted by the smell of food, Bear still maintains himself as a hard and dedicated worker..as long as there’s a treat involved at the end.
Joe “T-Bone” Perron
Professional Hockey goalie, turned Painter, turned Occupational Therapist/Adventure Recreationist, turned Professor, turned Woodworker; Joe’s had an illustrious life to date. For the past 20 years a big part of Joe’s life has revolved around Maplewood Nursing home, specifically, working with residents with Alzheimer’s/Dementia. His goal has always been to get as many residents outside and into the community as often as possible. Finding, and often times, inventing ways for them to be able to get out and enjoy past activities they once were able to do with full functionality. These included: building a 6-foot horse ramp to either walk a resident with limited mobility or in a wheelchair up the ramp in order to safely mount them onto a horse. This Provided a safe on/off that was level with the Horse and no extreme lifting was needed. For other clients, Joe designed a wheelchair with skies attached to the bottom, allowing residents in wheelchairs to still be able to go trail walking and view the sights of freshly fallen snow.
Retired” these days, Joe still finds ways to work with the residents of Maplewood. Since the summer of 2022, Joe has been working with several residents making various Wood Crafts. From hand-woven baskets to custom-designed cutting boards. Residents help with weaving the baskets, and Joe cuts and engraves the designs. All proceeds go towards helping improve Maplewood Nursing Home’s Activities Department.
If interested, postings for various farmers markets will be posted here, or email us to get in touch with custom orders.
