CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ill. / SULLIVAN COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Newly-planted trees are often considered a symbol of growth and new life. For WTWO/WAWV’s 2023 Nexstar Founder’s Day of Caring project, the station wanted to spread that symbol across areas affected by the deadly March 31 tornado.
Kim Decker and her husband received four trees, planted on their property early Friday morning to kick off the Founder’s Day event. The Decker family lost a lot in the storm, including Kim’s favorite red oak tree.
“I know that trees don’t compare to human life,” Decker said. “I don’t want to take anything away from that, but when I look at these new trees that were planted, I will remember the lives that were lost.”
The four trees on Decker’s property, and 96 others planted across Crawford County and Sullivan County, were the station’s way of showing its connection to the larger community.
“We just think it’s something that we could do to help out, in some small way, the people that have been affected by this,” WTWO/WAWV News Director Rex Barber said. “They are still recovering, they’re still dealing with the trauma and recovering from all of that.”
That recovery process has been made easier for Decker thanks to others’ generosity and kindness.
“I’ve had to humble myself because I’m usually the one that does for others and I’ve really had to accept,” Decker said. “I’m so thankful for everyone that has helped us because I don’t really know what we would’ve done without the help of our community, our church, family, our friends.”
Just like the new trees in her yard, Decker has seen continuous signs since that tragic night that reaffirm her faith and prove just how resilient people are.
“I know the hand of God was on us that night,” Decker said. “It’s just amazing to see a community come together and take something that is really bad and turn it into something good – there’s going to be a testimony after all this.”
WTWO/WAWV thanks WIN Energy, The Tulip Company, and First Farmer’s Bank and Trust for help donating the trees.
