KAUKAUNA (NBC 26) — It’s been months since a tornado devastated this senior apartment complex. Wednesday afternoon, its residents are receiving a heartwarming homecoming.
- Residents of Round House Manor in Kaukauna have returned to their homes following damage from an EF1 tornado.
- Local emergency responders and the American Red Cross helped evacuate residents, who stayed in temporary housing while repairs were made.
- The residents celebrated their return with food, fun, and $100 gift cards, to help them get back on their feet.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Janine Dodds, a resident of Round House Manor, shared, “Uhhh…I guess it’s been five months? I thought it was seven. It felt like it!” Now, Dodds is finally back in her apartment at the Round House Manor in Kaukauna.
On May 21, an EF1 tornado touched down in Kaukauna, and Dodds was in the building as the weather took a turn. “We had just finished our party when the weather noise was coming on, and the girls were all listening to it. And I said, ‘Don’t be worried, it’s no big deal!’” she recounted. But then the tornado struck. “We get to our apartments, and that’s when it sounded like a double-barreled shotgun going off by my window, and I guess that was the tree hitting the roof.”
Local fire and rescue teams, along with community partners like the American Red Cross responded quickly, evacuating everyone safely. Kevin Grondahl and Audrey Erdmann from the Red Cross said, “We had a shelter open at the Kaukauna Area School District within 40 minutes.”
Many residents had to stay in temporary housing while Round House Manor was rebuilt, but Dodds and others were finally able to return just a few days ago. Today, they celebrated their return with food, fun, and a surprise gift of $100 gift cards from Round House to help residents get back on their feet.
Dodds summed it up, “Well, you know. Home is where your heart is.”
Besides being back home, residents told me they’re most excited to see friends they haven’t seen in months.
