Trees are the lungs of the earth. Without them, we couldn’t survive. And our trees-our earth-are at risk. Trees improve our air quality by removing pollution from the atmosphere and giving us clean, fresh air to breathe.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, more than half of all Americans depend on forest watersheds for drinking water.

The Blaze of Wildfires

Sadly, forest fires and infestation can take away many benefits trees provide to human and environmental health.

As many as 90 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by humans, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Some human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, negligently discarded cigarettes and intentional acts of arson. The remaining 10 percent are started by lightning or lava.

Nebraska’s One Million Acre Forest

When you think of Nebraska, football and corn may come to mind. But trees should too. In 2006 and 2012, 50,000 trees were burned in forest fires caused by lightning in the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands. Burning the Bald Eagle’s and other animal’s habitats. A combined 86,000 acres were burned according to the Arbor Day Foundation. The damage was so bad natural regeneration is not possible, leaving reforestation in human hands.

The Future of Trees

The US Forest Service strives to replicate the natural diversity of trees through its plantings in forests nationwide. Like humans, trees need air to breathe and sunshine, water, and food to grow. Trees fight to stay alive just like humans do. Trees will adapt to change, but forests need to be replanted in order for the adaptation to occur.

The Celebration of Arbor Day

Arbor Day originated 144 years ago by Nebraska pioneer J. Sterling Morton. It is an annual observance celebrating the role of trees in our lives and promotes tree planting and care.

Whether trees provide a backyard swing for your children or a nesting place for diverse habitat, the future of trees is in jeopardy. Without aggressive replanting efforts there will be no seed source to reestablish this unique ecosystem. Replanting trees today will benefit generations to come.

State Farm® is doing their part. The insurance company, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, sponsored the replanting of 30,000 trees over the last 3 years.

“Our forests are part of the long and important legacy of the people and the land of our country,” said Matt Harris, Arbor Day Foundation chief executive. “Thanks to State Farm’s commitment, thousands of trees will be planted to help clean the air, protect water resources, and restore habitat and beauty to forests that have suffered devastation.”

Harris hopes others follow in State Farm’s footsteps. Take a stand with our trees. If interested in supporting the Arbor Day Foundation, donate today and share this story about the importance of trees with family and friends.

Special thanks and photo credit to: Arbor Day Foundation; Bessey Nursery; Dan Morrow; Brad Brandt; US Forest Service; Cydney Janssen; Chris Fankhauser; Diane Clark, Jessica Espinoza, and Moni Hourt from Crawford Clipper; State Farm agents Randy Bauer and Bob Alcorn

When a vacant home in Madee’s Milwaukee neighborhood was up for sale last year, his uncle told him and his brother to go for it. Madee’s uncle is a contractor who works with ACTS Housing. He thought the young men would like living close to their parents.

The brothers went to the ACTS Housing raffle in June, 2015 thinking the home could be a fixer-upper. The young men believed this could be their opportunity to own a home. They put their names into the raffle and Madee ended up winning. Now all he had to do was come up with $3500.

He was nervous about next steps but ACTS was by his side. ACTS Housing put together a deal for Madee to buy the house. They coached him about his finances and grants. They also recommended contractors and provided him a loan for repairs.

By working with homeowners like Madee, ACTS Housing fills a gap in the housing market. Often, vacant and vandalized houses are tough to sell. ACTS families turn these houses into homes. Since 2008, ACTS has helped families purchase and rehab 915 houses in the city.

The new homeowners also save money switching from renting to owning. ACTS Housing makes a difference by strengthening neighborhoods and making homeownership dreams a reality.

Madee received a $2,500 grant and a loan from ACTS to support the renovations. Madee pays only $360 a month, not including utilities, for his home. Compared to the monthly average rental cost of $700, this is significant savings. For Madee, it’s not just about the savings. He explained, “I am proud to be a homeowner!”

Creating a Safe Neighborhood

Madee is living with his parents while he completes his home and hopes to move in soon. He shared that the neighborhood is a quieter place than when he was young. Madee explained, “The area has a promising future. When I was young, crime was bad. One time a bullet even penetrated my parents’ house. But now, I feel safe in my neighborhood.”

Now, many families call his neighborhood home. Businesses moved into the area and police patrol more often.

Madee wants to help keep the peace by starting a community watch. He also hopes others will buy vacant homes in his neighborhood to keep building up the area.

“I would recommend to others that they try this process,” the new homeowner shared. “You just need to plan a scope of work and stick to it.”

Learn more about the current state of American Neighbors @ www.statefarm.com/neighbors

Across town from Jeff, friend and football Coach Robby Parish, spent Mother’s Day outside with his wife, daughter and son. The weather was nice, but the Parish’s knew strong storms were in the forecast.

“We are always aware. We talked a couple weeks (before) about where we would go [for safety],” said Parish.

A strong storm passed through Corsicana, Texas that evening less than 100 miles southwest from Van, but right on the town’s path. Robby was right: the electricity went out, setting alerts off their phones. So the Parish family took shelter.

“The kids weren’t scared, we were getting in our safe place just in case. We went into our son’s closet, huddled and listened to the rain,” shared Parish. “You know the storm is getting close, but you don’t know it’s going to hit your house.”

A Destructive Darkness

Then the tornado hit. According to the Parish family, it sounded like you were standing next to an airplane. When the family opened the front door, they didn’t yet register their home was destroyed.

“We’ve just had a tornado in Van,” a policyholder told State Farm Agent Johnny Thompson. “My roof is gone and I can’t see my neighbor’s house.”

Moore, a claims specialist, started helping his friends and policyholders late that night. He tirelessly wore two hats, “it’s probably been the most proud I’ve been [of Jeff],” said Team Manager Andy Barfield, “Jeff called me. He knew several homes and much of Van were destroyed.” Jeff and his wife represented State Farm and their community.

At one of the churches in town, Parish recalls residents emotionally embracing – even if they didn’t know each other well. Upon returning home the Parish family realized what they had survived.

“We closed the door and immediately prayed,” Parish said when he, his wife and their two young kids saw the only four walls still standing were the ones where they huddled; “God just saved us.”

The Rebuilding Process

The EF-3 tornado damaged about 30% of the town. Many homes, businesses and a school were destroyed.

By daylight, the following day, Agent Johnny Thompson and his wife were handing out water, Jeff was ready to go at a local church helping policyholders and Robby was trying to pick up what was left of his family’s belongings.

Robby was picking up the pieces when he recalls State Farm coming to him. Power and communications channels were down, so he hadn’t even contacted - or thought about - insurance when the estimate was written on his home to start the rebuilding.

“It’s good to know we backed our promise,” said Thompson “We were part of the rebuilding and it felt good.”

Live, Revived

The Parish family now lives in a newly constructed home on the same lot in Van. Their beautiful gray brick ranch has an open floor plan, stylish and modern finishes, and bedrooms designed by the kids. Their new house also features a concrete block shelter with a steel door, stylishly disguised as a bathroom near the side-entry garage.

Once in the home, a focal point that can be seen anywhere is a cross on the wall. The cross has colorful glass that catches the light and your eye. The few shattered dishes – family heirlooms recovered from the Parish home following the tornado were made into the cross. It serves as a reminder of what they lived through and the protection they had.

“People are resilient, some people have moved, some have rebuilt, but (leaving) was never a thought for us,” said Parish. “This is our home, we weren’t going to leave it.”

Nestled in the Wabash River valley of southeastern Illinois, right along the Indiana state border, lies the small town of Mt. Carmel. A community of approximately 7,300 people, it looks like your typical, picturesque Midwestern town.

What truly makes this town unique is how its high school students and teachers rally together with the community to ensure every driver is as safe as possible on the road.

Mt. Carmel High School first participated in Celebrate My Drive (CMD), a State Farm teen driver safety program in 2013. Since then, the high school has won $225,000 in grant dollars to assist with safe driving initiatives and school improvements.

The unified force and CMD success is amazing for a town the size of Mt. Carmel. But to see the true impact of these efforts, one only has to meet one local family.

“Mt Carmel is a very close community, people care about each other. We are very quick to unite when it’s about our kids,” shared Principal Pat Cheesman. “That was true fifteen years ago when Jason lost his life, and it is still true today. Our passion for our kids drives our teen safe driving efforts at the high school.”

June 25, 2001: a day they would never forget

It was a normal summer day at the Ile house. Mom (Cathy), Dad (Curt) and their three sons, Jason, Steven and Michael were going about their day. Cathy fried a chicken and baked a coconut cream pie for dinner, some of Jason’s favorites.

Cathy just got home after running errands and her senses told her something was wrong. Where was Jason? He was baling hay earlier, but should be home by now, she thought.

The phone rings. It’s the local hospital and they tell her come quickly, Jason and Steven were in a car crash. She couldn’t believe it, two of her boys in the same crash!

Cathy and Curt rushed to the hospital. They learned Jason was in a car with three friends (and football teammates). The foursome were driving to town for a bite to eat after bailing hay. On the return trip, the driver accelerated the car to jump a railroad track; an act of reckless driving known as “hilltopping.”

When the car met the gravel road, the driver lost control and sideswiped a concrete bridge abutment. The impact split the car behind the driver’s seat where Jason was seated.

Jason wore his seatbelt, but sustained 21 internal injuries and died. Cathy asked about Steven, only to learn it was a different Steven and not her son.

There was a brief second of relief, but the loss of Jason hit the family hard. Earlier that week, Jason sprained his ankle and didn’t feel up to baling hay. Cathy told him to stay home to rest. But his dad told him to toughen up and go - something he would second-guess forever.

Jason’s lasting impact

Jason was part of a very close class at Mt. Carmel High School. Principal Pat Cheesman’s son was actually part of Jason’s class. With a small school, students are usually close, but this particular class was different.

Pat says the community has never forgotten Jason, and their love for him helps drive their efforts today.

State Farm agent Dan Schonert’s daughter was a classmate and close friend of Jason’s. To this day, every time the agent thinks about the moment they heard about the wreck, he gets emotional.

“We are a small town where you get to know most of the kids as they grow up with your own kids. They become like extended family. We all hurt deeply when one is hurt or loses their life,” Dan shared.

It was difficult but the family honored Jason’s wish to be an organ donor. Because of their brave, selfless decision, an eight year old boy and 10 month old boy received organs that would allow them to live and lead normal lives.

Jason’s death prompted Cathy and Curt to work with legislators to pass (HB4006) a new law which made the crash a felony. Under HB4006, if a person drives a vehicle and uses an incline in a roadway, such as a railroad crossing, bridge approach, or hill, to cause the vehicle to become airborne, the driver commits reckless homicide if he or she unintentionally kills an individual while “hilltopping.”

Moving forward through the pain

When the school and the community got involved with CMD, the family saw it as a chance to get involved too.They shared their story, hoping to prevent other families from experiencing what they did.

Steven, who took his brother’s death very hard, opened up and gave radio interviews about his brother’s fatal crash. Steven also started the Jason Ile Memorial Golf Scramble. The annual event raises money for a scholarship fund that awards $1,000 to graduating seniors with clean driving records.

Today, Mt. Carmel High School continues their push to educate drivers, young and old, about staying safe on the road. As prom and graduation season nears, the school is gearing up efforts to promote safe driving during these major celebrations in a teen’s life.

Safety tips are periodically shown on flat screen monitors throughout the school, as well as emailed directly to student. Students have created billboard messages, public service video announcements, and will soon have a new driving simulator to help new teen drivers.

The community has continued to join in. Schonert and another State Farm Agent, Ken Saxe, participate in many of the school’s activities. Local law enforcement have safety checks around the school to make sure everyone is being safe.

“Dan and I will do whatever we can to promote teen driving safety, to keep our kids safe and our community strong,” Ken said.

The end of the school year is a celebratory time for high school students with proms and graduations. With automobile crashes still the leading cause of death for teens, State Farm wants to help teens and their parents Celebrate Safe, Drive Safe with these tips:

RELATED INFOGRAPHIC: 5 Safety Reminders for Parents of Teen Drivers

After lunch, John, an engineer, left the house to head back to the office, but first decided to get the mail. Marilyn put on her coat and prepared to do last minute Christmas shopping.

Marilyn thought she heard someone calling for a dog. She heard the voice again. It was louder and more urgent. Curious, she followed the voice, toward the end of her driveway

As she reached the end, about 35 feet from their front door, she saw John. He was lying in the snow, conscious but unable to move, and seriously injured.

He repeated the words “hurt” and “truck” to her. The mailbox door was open with the mail still inside. Marilyn quickly called 911. John, her husband and best friend, was rushed to the hospital.

In an effort to keep John alive, the hospital staff quickly worked to identify the extent of his injuries. Throughout all of this, John remained conscious and kept repeating, “hurt.”

As she held his hand, he stared directly into her eyes and lightly squeezed her hand two times - their secret way of saying of I love you. Then he went into cardiac arrest and passed away. Marilyn would never see him smile again.

John was hit and killed by a truck when he was collecting his mail. An alert was put out for the driver, who did not stop at the crash scene. The 20-year-old, who turned himself in, said he thought he hit a snowbank or mailbox. He also admitted to texting while driving. Investigators reported the driver’s eyes were off the road for seven seconds.

After a five-day trial, the driver was acquitted of all charges. Marilyn decided more needed to be done to raise distracted driving awareness and laws needed to be changed to hold distracted drivers accountable.

Her next journey

The local Junior Woman’s League approached Marilyn about planting a tree in John’s memory. Marilyn, however, had a different idea. She asked the women to purchase thumb bands for distribution throughout town, with messaging designed to encourage drivers not to text while driving.

At the local high school, the resource officer distributed the thumb bands. After an article about the effort was printed in the local newspaper, donations began to flow in for more thumb bands. Local businesses handed them out to customers, more donations came in.

Marilyn knew more needed to be done.

She actively sought out public speaking opportunities and became a passionate advocate for “hands free” driving legislation. Marilyn was contacted by Sue Centner of the Community Alliance for Teen Safety (CATS), which receives funding from State Farm.

“We heard about Marilyn and her courage, and wondered how sharing her story could help save lives in our Derry community and throughout New Hampshire,” said Sue. “Marilyn was determined to make a positive impact in the lives of others.”

Marilyn joined forces with CATS, the Derry Police Department, and Dartmouth’s Injury Prevention Center to produce a televised roundtable discussion about New Hampshire’s proposed hands free driving law. This program was distributed through the cable networks throughout the state.

Marilyn remained a positive force, working with local and state police, CATS, the NH Driving Toward Zero Coalition, and other highway safety advocates. They supported a legislative effort that resulted in New Hampshire becoming the 15th state to ban drivers from using hand-held electronic devices while driving. The law took effect on July 1, 2015.

Marilyn believes legislation and education efforts will help prevent further tragedies like hers. So she continues to share her story at high school assemblies, hoping to make a difference.

“I remember, after Marilyn finished speaking during one presentation, the students spontaneously stood and applauded,” said Sue from CATS. “Marilyn clearly made an impact and she continues to do so throughout the state and at national traffic safety conferences.”

Marilyn is committed to preventing this type of tragedy from happening to others. “John was incredibly generous and dedicated much of his time to his community, serving as a firefighter for 18 years and as the fire chief for four,” she said. “He was an umpire, a master gardener, and a well-known columnist for a local newspaper.”

“One thing that would make me happy is to have the driver responsible for John’s death to join me at speaking engagements,” said Marilyn. “I think he could be a phenomenal advocate and that could be a big step in the healing process for us both.”

Sabrina Mabry had hit rock bottom. She was tired of living a life addicted to drugs and making unhealthy decisions. She was on her way back to jail. Again.

She had nowhere to turn. No one to help. No hope.

For some women in Oklahoma, this is a common story.

Oklahoma has the dubious distinction of a female incarceration rate nearly twice the national average. Tulsa County is the largest contributor to the statistic. Nearly 3,000 women are in Oklahoma prisons with an estimated 7,000 children impacted. More than 75 percent of the arrests are for non-violent offenses.

According to the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the path for many of these women to incarceration begins early, with physical and sexual abuse, a chaotic home environment and poverty. These challenges lead to problems in school, followed by substance abuse and addiction. To top it off, children with incarcerated parents in turn have a significant risk of being incarcerated themselves. Without some type of intervention, the heartbreaking cycle seems unstoppable.

Going back to jail became a yearly occurrence for Sabrina. “I finally came to the point where I realized that I needed something different in my life. I craved structure and stability, but the only place that gave me that was prison. I was looking for a hope that I didn’t think existed.”

Enter hope in the form of the Women in Recovery program.

With a focus on improving the lives of at-risk women and children, the George Kaiser Family Foundation prioritized an innovative community response to address the unprecedented rate of female incarceration in Oklahoma. The Foundation partnered with non-profit Family Children’s Services and developed Women in Recovery. The program gives women an alternative to the destructive lifestyles they have become addicted to. It rehabilitates non-violent female offenders with children, and includes substance abuse treatment, trauma therapy, safe housing, parenting classes, employment and vocational training, and health and dental care.

Women in Recovery trains women for the workforce and offers employment through partnerships with several Tulsa businesses and non-profits. As Sabrina worked her way through the program, she started to gain confidence, and eventually landed a job as a quality control technician for a company that manufactures complex metal components for the airline industry. She loves the stability and structure that the work offers.

But on this day, Mabry is busy pulling weeds and picking up trash in a north Tulsa neighborhood for the non-profit Rebuilding Together Tulsa. Part of the Women in Recovery program is giving back through volunteerism. Rebuilding Together teaches basic construction skills to the participants so they can in turn help others. State Farm gives a grant to Rebuilding Together Tulsa for their outstanding work offering employable skills training to women in the program.

Dianne Hughes, the program director of self-sufficiency for Women in Recovery, says that partnerships with businesses and non-profits that hire participants offer another step toward self-sufficiency. “A Rebuilding Together Tulsa representative meets with the women every month to discuss the difference between basic tools and how to use them. In turn, our participants volunteer for events like Rebuilding so we can give back to the community as well.”

Sabrina is a new person these days. She is sober, and has been part of the Women in Recovery program for 11 months. Thanks to her participation, she is employed and looking for her own house. She volunteers her time to help others on a regular basis.

But more than any of those things, if you look closely, you can see a smile on her face and hope in her eyes.

“I think that with the movement of the horse, and sitting on the horse, it’s making neurological connections, helping areas of the brain that control the balance,” said Lisa, Giovanni’s mother. “He’s now able to sit up straight on his horse, and he’s walking a lot straighter.”

The Nicholas’ are not alone in seeing the benefits of riding. They are just some of the clients of Therapeutic Riding and Off-Track Rehabilitation. T.R.O.T.R., based in Woodland, CA near Sacramento, specializes in the therapy.

“The children that we help have a variety of issues,” said Shannon Johnson, Executive Director for T.R.O.T.R. “I know quite a few of the kids I work with are on the autism spectrum.”

The benefits of therapeutic riding are seen by parents and instructors, and studies are helping to identify the scope of the improvements (see infographic). Researchers and advocates theorize that the combination of physical and mental stimulation, and the immersive environment inherent in riding, plays a role.

The operation differs from a normal stable in many ways. For one, instructors and staff are in close contact with the riders to protect them. And the environment is shaped to suit the needs of riders.

For example, T.R.O.T.R. recently underwent upgrades including a new softer riding surface, a ramp to help load kids onto the horses, and equipment to maintain the arena, funded by a grant won in the State Farm’s Neighborhood Assist program.

For some kids, these improvements are critical – larger children would be unable to mount their horses without the assistance of the ramp, for example.

But the effort pays off.

“It’s nothing but joy when you bring the kids out here and put them on the horses,” said John Bolden, president of Board of Directors of T.R.O.T.R. “The smiles come over their faces and they light up. That’s what it’s all about.”

17-year-old Jane Modlesky was the funniest and sweetest person they had ever known, her friends and family said. About to enter her senior year at Glastonbury High School in Connecticut, Jane was a top-performing scholar and volunteer.. She was also a high performingan athlete, competing incompete select Lacrosse teams and tournaments.

“Everyone knew Jane,” shared her best friend, Audrey Apanovitch. “Whenever she met someone, they instantly became friends. Everyone looked up to her, including me. She was one of a kind.”

Sadly, on July 14, 2013, the unfortunate decisions of several young people cut Jane’s life short.

After leaving a party, Jane and four other teenagers got into a car, taking turns driving to their respective homes. Jane was the last to take the wheel, although she was in no condition to drive. A half mile later, Jane crashed into a tree and died.

“When I learned of Jane’s crash, I was in a state of shock,” explains Jane’s mother, Cammi Modlesky. “You never think it’s going to happen to your family. I trusted my daughter immensely and this type of behavior was not the norm for Jane. She had so much potential, had so much to live for, and was loved by so many.”

As Audrey watched her tight-knit community come to terms with everything, she noticed a need for increased education on Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) teen driver safety laws. Hoping to fill this gap, she founded Be the Key.

With help from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center researchers, Audrey examined high school student parking passes. She learned 88% of parking pass applications did not outline GDL laws.

Audrey realized, while many knew these laws existed, few knew all of the guidelines. In Connecticut, for instance, new drivers are restricted from driving with passengers, other than parents or instructors, for the first six months.

“Glastonbury students must now sign up for Be the Key to earn the privilege of parking at the high school,” says Audrey. “They agree to follow the laws, such as being home by curfew and not driving with too many passengers. There’s also a passenger section, where applicants pledge to not distract drivers.”

Approximately 700 students participated this year.

The student board of Be the Key has also prompted discussions on teen driver safety education. They even added a lesson about GDL laws to the sophomore health class. Additionally, the school now gives driving students color-coded hang tags which serve as a visual reminder of their GDL status restrictions.

“Some may look at these laws as restrictions on their freedoms, but they’re really about good life choices and keeping us safe,” Added Audrey.

“Audrey has taken a courageous stand,” says Cammi. “Before Jane died, there was a lot of misunderstanding about safe driving issues. Audrey knows the positive impact of GDL laws and isn’t afraid to let her voice be heard. It’s unfortunate it’s taken the tragic death of my daughter to make others stand up and take notice.”

Looking to expand Be the Key throughout Connecticut, Glastonbury High School took part in State Farm’s Celebrate My Drive (CMD) program. CMD was designed to celebrate new teen drivers and encourage smart choices behind the wheel.

Many plans are in progress to encourage awareness, including a community kick-off event featuring bands, local celebrities, obstacle courses, free food, a large social media push, and even assistance from across the pond.

Be the Key’s Celebrate My Drive committee reached out to and confirmed support from the mayor of their “sister city,” Glastonbury, England. Additionally, Audrey and other Board members will speak with the entire student body the first day of National Teen Driver Safety Week to encourage their safe driving commitments.

“My cousin, who also lost a child, once used the analogy that young people, because of their inexperience, don’t have back roads; they only travel on superhighways,” adds Cammi. “After seeing how Glastonbury High School’s students had to grow up so quickly after Jane’s death, I realized they now have the experience of back roads.”

But a new program in inner city Cleveland is working to fill those gaps and help kids who have suffered tragedy find a way to grieve, connect and find ways to move forward with their new realities.

You could call it grief camp, but it’s about far more than grieving. “Our goal is to instill in [the kids] encouragement, to motivate them to keep pressing on, to keep living life, but also to facilitate some of the necessary healing,” said Ty Morgan, spiritual director of Cornerstone of Hope, the organization behind the Cleveland program. “After you lose somebody, it does cause a big wound in your heart and your soul.”

Basically, Cornerstone of Hope, which offers a variety of grief and support services in Ohio for people who suffer a loss, recognized that while life insurance and legal arrangements can help protect kids and families on some level, it takes more than that to really address such a loss.

The weeklong program is designed to help kids explore and express their feelings through group activities, counseling and creative expression - and also just have fun.

"This is a camp for grieving kids, but we don’t want to completely emphasize their sadness, their anger, those negative emotions,” said Morgan. “We want them to have fun - they’re still kids – and show them that they can have fun despite their loss.”

Mark Tripodi, executive director and founder of Cornerstone of Hope, said he has seen this kind of approach give kids new ways to express themselves. “We foster different types of interventions for kids to express their grief, and one of the most powerful forms is the performing arts,” he said.

While the first two Cornerstone camps served kids in rural Ohio, the new camp in Cleveland, Camp Heroes, was specifically established to reach a new group of kids in the inner cities.

"We have definitely seen a lot of loss in the inner city, whether it’s from gang violence or other violence, accidental overdose is definitely on the rise in the Cleveland area,” said Shannon Grubich, camp coordinator and counselor with Cornerstone.

Wherever there is loss, Cornerstone offers a model for extending an emotional lifeline to kids.

“This next chapter is going to be difficult because their loved one is not with them, but it doesn’t have to be a terrible chapter of tragedy,” said Morgan. “It can be one of triumph.”

(Not licensed in MA, NY or WI) State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI) Bloomington, IL LIAM-1011.0

As the years passed, Ron and Kelly were faced with a multitude of challenges. Ron experienced a back injury, forcing him into early retirement from his construction career. To keep the bills paid, Kelly took over the family finances and began pursuing her real estate license. When Kelly passed away suddenly in 2009, it came as both an emotional and financial shock to Ron and their two children.

“Every day you get up and go to work. Every day you get up and start your car. You take that for granted,” Ron said. “You never take [for] granted something unexpected. When Kelly passed away, it was very unexpected. She was worth everything to us.”

Fortunately, they had someone on their side: Their longtime friend (and insurance agent) Steve. It was now, when things looked their worst, that advice Steve had given years before paid off, enabling Ron to keep his family together.

Investing in the future

Many years before, based on Steve’s counsel, Ron and Kelly had chosen a permanent life insurance plan that accumulated cash value, which had allowed them to fulfill their dream of buying a home and paying for unforeseeable costs, like Ron’s medical bills.

But because of his health problems and the state of the economy in 2009, when Kelly had become the primary wage-earner in the family, finances were so tight that Ron told Kelly that he thought they should cancel their life insurance policy. They met with Steve again, who took the time to walk through their financial options and encouraged them to consider keeping their policy.

“The real lightbulb moment was when Ron realized how much Kelly really did for him and the household and family, and the fact that she did bring in income that he would have to do without if something should happen to her,” said Steve.

For most Americans, the death of a primary wage-earner would mean big living changes. According to LIMRA’s life insurance consumer studies, one-third of Americans believe they would feel the financial impact from the loss of a primary wage earner within one month of the wage earner’s passing. Half say they would feel an impact within six months.

After loss, some relief

Ron was in the group that would feel the impact immediately, and he feared what it could mean for his family. “With Emmet being a minor and Jamie just getting out of school and my serious back problems the last year that Kelly was alive, I’m afraid to think of what would have happened to all of us without our life insurance policy,” said Ron.

In the wake of Kelly’s death, Ron had to take over financial responsibility for the household. He reached out to Steve again, who reminded him they had kept their life insurance policy. In fact, he told Ron, they had actually increased their coverage, a decision that provided the necessary funds for Ron to remain with his sons and keep his home.

“It was a great relief when Steve told me we weren’t going to lose our house, and I was going to be able to stay here with the boys,” said Ron, “[Without insurance] I would have had to instantly liquidate everything or look to my relatives for help. Life insurance takes care of that unexpected stuff.”

State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI) State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI) Bloomington, IL LIAM-1009.0 

Sadly, his small town community has faced tornadoes of historic proportions – two of those storms among the strongest ever recorded. His city, home to beautiful neighborhoods and thriving economic development, has earned the unfortunate distinction as the frequent target of killer tornadoes.

“By 2013 we were beginning to ask some questions of each other,” said Terry Cavnar, State Farm Agent and Moore City Council Member. “We can no longer ignore this. We can’t say this isn’t going to happen again because it continues to happen. So, we began to look at the options.”

In the past 15 years, the city of Moore has fallen victim to tornadoes on three separate occasions. In 1999, an EF-5 tornado swept through the community causing $1.2 billion in damage, and taking 40 lives. In 2003, an EF-4 devastated the town. Most recently in 2013, Moore faced a second EF-5, killing 24 and causing $2 billion in damage.

After each storm, Drake and other city officials were left to wonder what – if anything – they could do to better prepare their community for these catastrophic storms. After the 2013 storm, they decided to take action.

A Time To Act

The search for answers led to the formation of a special committee made up of council members, builders and citizens to re-examine building codes and ensure all new construction was best equipped to deal with extreme weather.

The committee called on Chris Ramseyer, Associate Professor-Civil Engineering at the University of Oklahoma to help in the planning effort. Even before the 2013 storm, Ramseyer had been studying the performances of residential structures in high-wind events and was very familiar with the city’s plight.

“I was here the next morning,” Ramseyer said of his hours following the 2013 tornado. Amongst the utter devastation, Ramseyer found what he was looking for. “We had a house with a slab essentially wiped clean. It was EF5 damage,” he said. But just seventy feet away, a home stood largely intact. The two homes were too close to have provided for much difference in wind speed, Ramseyer concluded that the structure must have saved the second home.

The committee developed their plan of attack and agreed all future homes needed to be practical, affordable and repeatable on a large scale.

“Chris looked at it from both structural integrity and also cost. The impact it would have on the cost of residential construction,” said Drake. “And I think the homebuilders bought into that, and they had confidence in him.”

Building Better AND Stronger

The result was to refine the building technique, rather than adding new materials. The new approach called for a change in the basic house framing, pushing builders and contractors to expand upon their normal approach. Longtime Moore builder, Tom Pollard notes,“ it’s not even a big cost issue, it’s just an educational process.”

“The biggest difference is in the framing,” said Cavnar. “With some more tie-ins, especially between the walls and the roofing, strengthening in your openings, framed openings, windows and doors.”

In addition to the added protection, there was more good news: The cost.

“Our research shows that you can do it for a cost of roughly a dollar a square foot,” said Ramseyer.

Drake and the committee are enthusiastic about this new approach as a means to protect, preserve and prepare the homes of Moore.

“We were ecstatic,” said Terry Cavnar. “We could do something that would withstand an F3 tornado, 135 miles an hour, for a minimal amount of cost. We were thrilled.”

And while the success of these measures will ultimately be born out in the coming tornado seasons, for now this process stands out as a great example of what can be accomplished when a community works together.

“This has been one of the easiest code changes I’ve been involved in,” said Drake. “I didn’t think that would be the case when we started this process, but it was.”