APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) — Three weeks after a Fox Valley tornado tore through St. Mary Parish Cemetery, visible damage remains along S. Seminole Rd., and none of the tree removal or ground restoration work is covered by insurance, according to the cemetery.
The cemetery is relying on community donations to fund its recovery and anticipates costs nearing $100,000 or more — significantly more if cleanup is needed along a slope leading to the river.
What still needs to be done
According to the cemetery, 35 tree trunks still need to be removed, 60 stumps need to be ground, and every damaged monument must be professionally reset. While the fence, buildings and roads are covered by insurance, tree removal and ground restoration are not.
The storm destroyed roughly half of the cemetery’s 70 trees. Volunteers have spent the past three weeks hauling out trash and debris, but significant work remains.
Those who wish to donate can do so at stmaryparishcemetery.org.
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