A tragic incident at a holiday parade left community members of Waukesha, Wisconsin, feeling devastated and searching for a way to show resilience throughout the town and beyond. The team at TNT Ace Hardware helped to sponsor a mural to give the community a place to remember and reflect on the events of that day.

On November 21, 2021, during the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, an unfathomable act of horror took place. A vehicle was deliberately driven through the parade, resulting in the devastating loss of six lives and countless injuries.

"When tragedy happens in a community, you instinctively want to help," said Emilie Dishno, TNT Ace Hardware Marketing Manager. "When I saw the mural project happening, I knew this is where we needed to get involved. This project is a significant, beautiful piece for the city of Waukesha, and I am extremely proud that we got to be part of it."

Emilie met with artist Christina Dreyer and her team, and they discussed the mural project. TNT Ace Hardware was able to donate paint and other supplies to help make the mural possible.

"We’re artists, and what we thought we could do was to make a mural to show that we’re not going to be broken because of this. We’re going to be strong together," said Christina. "We’re going to come together to help each other and improve and move on."

Throughout the process of creating the mural, it was a healing journey for the community. Residents would stop and watch the artists as they worked. They would take time to talk about their stories, where they were during the incident, and how it all made them feel.

The mural is titled "Waukesha Strong," and it has many layers of symbolism. Butterflies symbolize rebirth and new life. Black-eyed Susans, a flower native to Waukesha, are also present, as well as six cardinals, which represent the victims who passed. Sun rays breaking through the clouds represent sunshine after a storm, giving the mural a hopeful outlook.

"The creation of the memorial is one way of healing," said Mayor Shawn Reilly. "I think the big portion of the healing is where people can come by at their own time and view it and think and respond."

Waukesha continues to host its Holiday parade as a symbol of the resilience and community spirit of its residents. The mural stands as a reminder and a place of healing that residents can visit all year long.

"The Ace mantra, ‘we exist to help others,’ is something I take to heart," said Emilie. "We exemplify this by actively supporting our community, providing resources, and always doing our best to make a positive impact. It’s a core part of our identity and values at Ace."