Milwaukee Fire Dept. Engine 34 / MED 13 hosts its annual back to school block party on Saturday, Aug. 27, to help distribute school supplies to needy kids in the community and to help welcome neighbors into the firehouse, located at 6205 W. Burleigh St.
The event, at my local firehouse, runs from noon until 4 p.m. and visitors can enjoy free food, music, games and tours of the fire station and its apparatus. Kids will get free school supplies donated by local businesses and residents.
Firefighters will distribute safety information and recruiters from Milwaukee Police Dept. recruiters and the Milwaukee Fire Department Explorer Post 875 will be on hand to talk about career opportunities.
I've met these folks in emergency and non-emergency situations – like when they spray water on us every 4th of July at Enderis Park! – and I plan on going over just to say thank you (though they might be able to talk me into a burger or a brat off the grill, too)!
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
