Wisconsin tornado: 60+ children sheltered safely inside Neenah church as storm hit
Survivors recount moment the Wisconsin tornado hit
80 people, mostly children, were inside the Congregational United Church of Christ when Monday's tornado hit near the towns of Menasha and Neenah in Eastern Wisconsin. Alanna Smith and Tiffany Sultz talk with Rob Olson about what is was like during those harrowing moments.
NEENAH, Wis. (FOX 9) - A tornado tore through northeastern Wisconsin, leaving major damage at a local church and preschool, but everyone inside made it out safely.
Church and preschool staff recall the tornado’s impact
What we know:
More than 80 people, including over 60 children and about 15 staff members, were inside Congregational United Church of Christ and Lake Edge Learning Center when the tornado struck. Staff quickly followed their practiced emergency plans, sheltering everyone safely.
Alana Smith, education coordinator at the church, said, "We had damage to our windows. We had trees through our windows and through the roof. Our steeple window fell in over our sanctuary, and we probably had well over 50 trees that were taken down from the storm. Well, they say that they can save probably seven of our trees."
Tiffany Sultz, director of Lake Edge Learning Center, explained, "We had a little over 60 children in the building at the moment. And I would say about 15, 16 staff members, all accounted for. They did exactly what we had practiced so many times. "
"Our vision, our mission, has always remained the same and safety and wellness of the children is what's most important."
Staff described how children were kept calm during the storm, with teachers playing music and even lulling toddlers to sleep.
"We have some pretty incredible teachers who are playing some music. So the children were unaware that the sirens were going off," said Sultz.
Timeline:
The group took shelter around 11:30 a.m. after a thunderstorm warning. The worst of the storm passed by about 12:10 p.m., but everyone stayed sheltered until pickup, with some children remaining at the church until 6:30 p.m.
The aftermath and community response
Local perspective:
The tornado left the church grounds covered in debris, with more than 50 trees lost—including many that were over 100 years old. The playground and building suffered significant damage, and the community is working to clear the area and help those affected.
As for the childcare center, Sultz said, "Our center was actually already in the process of looking for a building. And this tragic event just kind of speedballs that. And the way that people can help us most is financially getting that new space ready and prepared so that we have minimal interruption to these children's care."
The emotional toll is heavy for staff and the community.
"Yes, we're hanging in there. We're sticking to the community because that's the mission of both the church and Lake Edge, helping wherever we can as much as we can and trying to take care of ourselves along the way," Sultz said.
Smith added, "To see what was, the island was covered with trees, 100-year-old trees, and they're all gone. And historic homes. Historic homes. It's just, every time I drive into work, I just cry the entire way. It's surreal."