It’s been one year since an EF-3 tornado ripped parts of DuPage County.
About 520 homes in Woodridge were damaged with more than 30 houses considered to be a complete loss.
“It was devastating,” said Woodridge Mayor Gina Cunningham. “Our community, I think, was probably shocked by an event such as that.”
To commemorate the anniversary of the storm, Cunningham issued a proclamation designating June 20th as “Woodridge Strong Day.”
“It’s all about us really coming together and observing the goodness that has come through,” the mayor said, “And being grateful because of all the compassionate, generous friends and family and neighbors, near and far, that have really come to help us through a difficult long road.”
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Immediately after the storm, neighbors brought water, coffee, doughnuts and even envelopes with gift cards to those in need.
Woodridge Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a nonprofit that was born out of the tornado’s aftermath, helped residents secure temporary housing.
The Village of Woodridge also planted a total of 427 trees, 127 of which were donated by the Morton Arboretum for private properties.
However, there’s still a long way to go.
“Some don't realize that this is a long-term recovery, when a community gets hit like this,” said Cunningham. “I don't think we realized it at first.”
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About a dozen homes still remain uninhabitable, which Cunningham attributed to issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said supply chain issues have left some homes unable to get the building materials they need.
In addition to “Woodridge Strong Day,” the village hosted a moment of silence at 11:10 a.m. on Monday.
“We all stopped and took a moment really to remember our community and our neighboring communities for their kindness, their strength and resilience and great care because really helping one another makes a huge difference,” Cunningham said.
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