Businesses and nonprofits have been doing their part to help residents impacted by last month’s tornado in the Fox Cities rebuild and come back even stronger.
The tornado carried wind speeds of up to 140 mph when it ripped through neighborhoods and business districts over a 12-mile stretch between Appleton and Lake Winnebago. Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency, mobilizing the Wisconsin National Guard to support cleanup and recovery efforts while restoring essential services.
Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski detailed his experience in his weekly column, returning the thanks he received for the newfound perspective.
“Having been part of this community’s recovery, I want to thank them for the profound impact it has made on my own perspective, helping me to appreciate what really matters in life,” he wrote. “I will not soon forget the smiles, laughter, tears, and stories shared. Your strength has been inspiring, your perseverance has been humbling, and your courage will be your legacy.”
GFL Environmental’s Steve Estes reached out to state officials to suspend weight limits so he could send trucks to the area to remove debris. Born out of that request was Executive Order No. 301, which directed the Department of Transportation to assist carriers requesting permits to exceed statutory vehicle weight limits for the purpose of removing storm debris and providing other emergency transportation relief.
Sturgeon Bay Utilities was among the more than two dozen utilities that sent crews to the area to help Menasha Utilities restore power to its more than 9,000 customers.
General Manager Jim Stawicki says that as of Friday, more than 90% had gotten their power restored, though some of them will never get it back. His crew of eight linemen rotated through the area over the last two weeks to help in Menasha’s recovery efforts and gain their own knowledge in case a similar disaster ever happens in Sturgeon Bay.
Stawicki says making sure they support their fellow utility companies in times of need was an important thing to do.
Rick’s Toy Box in New Franken has made two more trips to the area since we profiled Rick Brunner’s nonprofit last week. In addition to dropping off hundreds more activity cars and other handmade toys, he has also distributed clothing and gift cards to impacted families.
The Door County Jazz Festival and Door County Candle Company have also been able to assist in the efforts. Donations were collected at Thursday’s Harmon Brothers concert at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor to support the United Way of Fox Cities, while Wisconsin Strong candle sales have raised more than $17,000 as of Thursday to support nonprofits in the Fox Cities serving tornado victims.
