Sullivan holds tree planting for tornado recovery efforts

SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Friday morning, dozens gathered in Sullivan to plant 90 trees as part of the recovery efforts from last year’s deadly tornado.

After hearing of the devastation that hit the city of Sullivan in 2023, officials with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources wanted to help out immediately.

Rachael Stinger of the Indiana DNR said that this is a great start in doing so.

“A planting like this is putting down a foundation for trees around the neighborhood that were lost in the tornado as well as maintaining the quality of life in this neighborhood,” she said.

Stinger said this is what the job is all about.

“Events like this are more direct. I am coming and directly planting the trees and directly impacting people’s lives and it is important to have that reminder of why trees are important and why I am doing the job that I am by coming to tree plantings like this,” she said.

Sullivan Mayor J.D. Wilson said that he is grateful of how much support the community still has.

“We still have these agencies, programs, and all this support going on,” he said. “It is a blessing to see on day one after the tornado everyone showed up. The volunteers, the help, the equipment, and today we still have that.”

Wilson said that the support will not stop until these residents feel like they are at home again.

“We are all coming together still and helping these folks get back into something, this is never going to be normal again, but as close as we can get them is where we want to go,” he said.

The agency also handed out 300 seedlings to residents so they could plant them on their own.

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