MUSKEGO, Wis. — After they inspired their neighbors to fill three truckloads of donations for hurricane victims in need, a couple in Muskego is set to make the 11-hour drive to Tennessee with the goods Sunday night.
Tracy Manz and Mike Manz said what started as a modest idea to bring a caravan of water to people struggling and displaced turned into a huge collection.
“Each person is like a raindrop and if we are alone and one raindrop, we're stagnant and we evaporate but altogether we can create a thunderstorm and move mountains,” Tracy said.
Tracy is the president of the Muskego Moose Lodge, and she said the lodge's network of members and supporters helped bring in donations from all over southeastern Wisconsin and parts of Illinois and Indiana.
The volunteers who gathered at the lodge Sunday afternoon collected hundreds of key essentials: water, food, sleeping bags, propane, blankets and clothes.
“We saw the news and it’s just heartbreaking that these people are suffering. This should not happen in America,” Tracy said. “We need to take care of each other.”
Tyson Ballos and his fiancé Samantha Peaslee were among the many sorting goods and loading trucks, that were donated by Penske.
“It's so humbling to be out here with everyone who cares,” Peaslee said. “So many great people have thought about survival mode. What do I need? What can I get, and they really came through."
“At the end of the day, we're all in this together,” Ballos said. “Right now a portion of our country is struggling and that all gets a little bit easier when the rest of us come together to help.”
The Manz’s said they’ve been overwhelmed by the support they received from community members who helped them make a difference.
“No words can say how we feel about it,” Mike Manz said. “We’re just grateful.”
The couple plans to arrive in Tennessee on Monday morning.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
