Wisconsin tornado aftermath: Volunteers and cleanup crews helping

MENASHA, Wis. - St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Menasha is without power and clean water. Staff and volunteers say that is not stopping them from feeding and serving those impacted the most by Monday’s devastating tornado.

Helping out

What we know:

It has been a place where people enjoy a meal and get the essential supplies they need. Part of the volunteer effort was Operation Barbecue Relief, a group serving up free meals across the Fox Valley.

They are not the only ones working around the clock. Landscaping and electrical crews are also working. Beginning work in the early hours of the morning, crew members said it is motivating to be just one part of the team effort to rebuild.

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"It's the worst things I've seen, there's trees down in every single yard," said Lance Wallace, owner of Wallace Tree & Landscape. "There's an apartment you guys drive by, every tree is down gone and in the perimeter of a four-block radius, the pile brush is ten feet high all around the park...the park will never look the same again."

Mitchell Berge of Wallace Tree & Landscape also shared his motivation to help. "Me having my house lost last year, all the hugs and the love I got last year, knowing how it brought the community together, made me want to get here and help out the best I can," Berge said. "Just being able to give that hug and tell them 'Hey, I feel you, you're going to get through this', it's an amazing feeling."

Damage assessments underway

What we know:

Winnebago County officials said they have been doing damage assessments. That is already underway and will continue. 

Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Andrew Amouzou and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.

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