Fox Valley tornado relief donation drive at Franklin Field
Fox Valley tornado relief donation drive at Franklin Field
A community donation drive is scheduled for Thursday, July 30 in Franklin to gather supplies for families impacted by severe weather in the Fox Valley.
FRANKLIN, Wis. - A community donation drive at Franklin Field gathered critical supplies Thursday for families impacted after an EF-3 tornado touched down in the Fox Valley earlier this week.
Donation drive
What we know:
The donation drive took place at Franklin Field, 7035 S. Ballpark Drive, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, in partnership with Adam Scherr – host of the USA Network’s Everything On The Menu and globally known as WWE icon Braun Strowman – and the Milwaukee Milkmen hosted the event.
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The public was encouraged to bring the following items requested by emergency responders:
- Bottled water and sports drinks
- Heavy-duty trash bags, work gloves, and cleaning supplies
- Diapers, baby wipes, and baby formula
- Toiletries and personal hygiene products
- Non-perishable food and snacks
- Pet food and pet supplies
"This is about neighbors helping neighbors," said Scherr. "The people of the Fox Valley have suffered tremendous loss, and together with the Milwaukee Milkmen and Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, we're asking our fans and our community to come together and show what Wisconsin is all about."
Wisconsin tornado: Braun Strowman rallying support
Adam Scherr, better known as professional wrestler Braun Strowman, is rallying support for Wisconsin after a tornado caused devastating damage in the Menasha area.
EF-3 tornado
By the numbers:
According to the NWS damage survey team, a tornado touched down right around 11:56 a.m. just north of Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton on July 27. The tornado rapidly intensified – with max winds of 140 mph – as it tracked south into Winnebago County.
The EF-3 tornado was on the ground for 26 minutes, the NWS said. It covered 12.1 miles and moved south at 28 mph. It touched down in Appleton, went through Menasha and out over Lake Winnebago before it lifted.
The Wisconsin State Climatology Office said it was the state's fourth EF-3 of 2026 – the most tornadoes rated EF-3 or higher to occur in the state since 1984. Historically, fewer than 5% of the state's tornadoes have ranked above EF-2.
The NWS said the worst damage occurred in the Fox Crossing and Menasha areas, where several businesses were heavily damaged near Highway 10.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, Milwaukee Milkmen, along with prior FOX6 storm coverage.