08/02/2026
Among all the coverage of the Menasha tornado relief efforts, I wanted to share a different perspective. This weekend I volunteered with Volunteer Fox Cities at the Planetarium, helping organize the incredible donations pouring in from our community. The donations came in just as quickly as they were being given back out. There were areas for canned goods, boxed food (my station), paper products, toiletries, garbage bags, hygiene items, and other everyday essentials. It looked like organized chaos—and honestly, it was. But it worked. We kept creating walkways so volunteers could move through the donations and “shop” for the families they were helping. There was plenty of water, snacks, and an endless willingness from complete strangers to do whatever needed to be done. Everyone naturally wants to see the aftermath of a tornado—the damaged homes, the fallen trees, the heartbreaking images. But behind every one of those stories are hundreds of people quietly sorting, lifting, organizing, delivering, and showing up for one another. I ended my weekend volunteering with Mile of Music Festival, where 10% of all merchandise proceeds were donated to . It was a reminder that helping a community recover doesn’t always look the same. Sometimes it’s sorting donations. Sometimes it’s supporting a fundraiser. Every act, no matter how big or small, helps carry a community forward. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to be a small part of both.
