New Franken's Rick Brunner has been running his nonprofit, Rick's Toy Box Inc., since 2011 as a creative outlet to inject positivity into people's lives after he began dealing with several health issues all at once. Thousands of toy cars have been distributed around the world in the years since, but Brunner's trip to Appleton and Menasha was a different experience.
Many times, the toys he and his volunteers build get packaged up and sent overseas or given to police officers to distribute as they see fit. This time, it was Brunner who spent Wednesday with a smile on his face and enough activity cars and tabletop basketball games to brighten the day for about 300 children.
He got to see the destruction and the gratitude firsthand as he visited hotels, motels, the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley, and pop-up street-corner supply stations in hopes of making someone's day brighter. In moments like these, Brunner says children can be forgotten, and he hopes the toys he gave away are the start of brighter days ahead.
You can help support Brunner's efforts to build more toys for children affected by Monday's storms and other difficult situations by clicking here.
Brunner is far from the only person trying to make a difference in the wake of the destruction in the Fox Cities. Sturgeon Bay Utilities has been assisting Menasha Utilities and other companies restore power to communities that have been without electricity since Monday's EF2 tornado ripped through the area.
Door County Candle's Wisconsin Strong candle has raised more than $5,000 to assist with recovery efforts. Owner Christiana Trapani says they are working with nonprofits in the Fox Cities to determine the best way to distribute the funds raised.
You can find more information on how to support the recovery efforts here.
Picture courtesy of Rick's Toy Box
