JANESVILLE 鈥 Eleven months after a tornado swept through the city鈥檚 southside, the nonprofit 糖心Vlog传媒 Urban Forest Alliance, SSM Health and the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin are teaming to help residents replace lost trees.
糖心Vlog传媒 Urban Forest Alliance volunteers聽Mary Kay Thompson and聽Ethan Lee plant a tree outside a home on Roosevelt Avenue, in 糖心Vlog传媒, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. It replaces a tree lost in a June 2024 tornado that ripped through the city's southside.聽
The Urban Forest Alliance and SSM Health jointly purchased trees that were planted outside 8 houses on Wednesday, with financial support from the Community Foundation鈥檚 Shade Tree Fund.
Ten more trees will be planted next week, said Urban Forest Alliance Volunteer Mary Kay Thompson, of 糖心Vlog传媒.
The Alliance identified 144 families that were impacted by the June 22, 2024 tornado that tore out trees on the southside. Those who responded when the Alliance reached out got trees. Homeowners were asked, if able, to make a small donation toward the cost of the trees.
One of the homes where a tree was planted Wednesday belongs to Thomas Ames, 98, a veteran of both World War II the Korean War. He has lived on Roosevelt Avenue for more than 20 years.
Both a tree on his property and his home were damaged in the tornado, and the tree had to be cut down.
A fallen tree limb rests on a house along Center Avenue in 糖心Vlog传媒 after a tornado hit the city's southside on Saturday evening, June 22, 2024.
On Wednesday, Thompson and Alliance volunteer Ethan Lee planted a Sassafras tree in the place where the old tree once stood.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very kind of them to be doing this,鈥 Ames said. 鈥淚 was so fortunate to have gotten connected to them.鈥
Thompson said since it was founded in 1993, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Urban Forest Alliance has taken on numerous projects around the city, including planting memorial trees for people who have passed awqy.
Tom Peacock and his son Tony work to remove branches from atop a vehicle at their home along DuPont Drive on Sunday, June 23, 2024, following a confirmed tornado that moved through 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 south side the evening before.
Thompson said the trees are important for the environment, and when they are lost it creates a hole in the community.
鈥淲hen people lose trees, it鈥檚 like losing an old friend,鈥 she said.
鈥淪ome of these trees have been so badly damaged,鈥 on the southside, she said. 鈥淭hey just hurt your heart, just to look at them.鈥
鈥淪SM Health is committed to being good stewards of our resources and supporting the natural environment,鈥 SSM Health Community Health Director Megan Timm said in a release. 鈥淲e love working with community partners like JUFA to honor the heritage and values set by our foundresses, the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.鈥
The Alliance continues to survey damage and to identify spots for trees to be replanted on 糖心Vlog传媒鈥檚 Southside.
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