Shop local this holiday season — and here is the list of options I’ve presented on this blog the last few weeks …
Merry Christmas!
And on the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … nothing. Instead, she gave back to the community.
So here’s a thought for a last-minute gift this holiday: Give to one of South Milwaukee’s terrific charities or organizations.
There are too many to list here, obviously, but I’ll give a few …
Or, give to help the family affected by the recent Cudahy fire. Or the Gawlitta family. Or donate some toys that the Brooks family will take to area homeless and domestic violence shelters on Christmas Eve.
In other words, there are plenty of ways to give this holiday season. Please consider doing so.
Christmas should be about giving, not receiving, shouldn’t it? In that spirit, the Brooks family is continuing a holiday tradition started last year …
We’re taking the kids shopping for toys, games, etc. this week and then delivering those Christmas gifts to three local homeless/domestic violence shelters on Christmas Eve: Hope House, Milwaukee Women’s Center and the Salvation Army Emergency Lodge.
So here is the ask: If anyone wants to donate gifts for us to take, or donate money for us to spend on gifts when we go shopping, drop them off with Sarah or me any time before Christmas Eve. New, unwrapped items, please.
And if you’d like to come with us on Dec. 24 — and show your kids the true meaning of the season — please join us. We’d love to have you. It was a special time when we did this in 2012.
(Feel free to call me at 414-651-1105 or email me at erikbrooks32@gmail.com for more information.)
Filed under Community
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter and blogger has a well-done piece on how running brought together a former South Milwaukeean and her new husband.
Here is the feature on Jennee Molus. From it:
Jennee was running the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon as part of UWM’s Team Paws; Dan was running the Chicago Marathon.
“I used these two races to suggest meeting for dinner to load up on carbohydrates together the night before our races,” said Dan.
“Eventually we stopped calling them carb-loading dinners and started calling them dates when we ran out of races. We got to know each other on short runs that we would take around the neighborhood, ones that inevitably always snaked through Humboldt Park. At some point we didn’t need to use running as an excuse anymore to spend time with each other, but we continued to train together.”
Dan proposed in February and the wedding was October 5, the anniversary of the pre-race, carb-loading dinner before their marathons. The theme of the wedding? Running and Ragnar.
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
Two local events are planned to benefit the family of Tammy Gawlitta, the mother of four who was killed in a traffic accident during last weekend’s snowstorm.
The first is Wednesday, Dec. 18, at Paisano’s in South Milwaukee, as the restaurant offers six different dinners for $10 each that night — with all proceeds from those meals benefiting the family.
Paisano’s is located at 113 N. Chicago Ave.
Here is the Facebook event page.
Also, there is a second event on Dec. 26 at Country Club in Cudahy, 5928 S. Packard Ave. Here is that Facebook event.
And here is the Tammy Gorecki-Gawlitta Family Support Facebook page.
Filed under Community, Cudahy, South Milwaukee
Passing on a note from the school district …
Tickets are still available – but must be ordered by Tuesday — for the 35th annual Ye Olde Christmas Feaste set for Dec. 14 and 15 at South Milwaukee High School.
Join the South Milwaukee Music Department and South Milwaukee Music Parents Association in the merriment and joy that the holidays bring. Join us in transporting back to 15th Century Rennaissance England with a six course dinner with live vocal, string, woodwind and brass entertainment to delight you.
Tickets are $30 for a single and $150 for a table of six (discounted rate).
Ticket order forms available on www.rocketmusic.org ,and you can drop off the form and payment by end of day Tuesday at the main high school office, door 9.
Filed under Community, Schools, South Milwaukee
Happy Thanksgiving, South Milwaukee.
I hope this day finds you with family, friends and football … and, if it doesn’t, you are in the thoughts and prayers of the Brooks family.
And it’s that family that I am most thankful for. I would be nothing without them and their support. It’s been a terrific year, and I hope even bigger things are to come in 2014. I am blessed to have them behind me.
How about you? What are you most thankful for? Post your comments below!
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
Just a reminder, that this is the biggest Christmas weekend of the year in South Milwaukee.
I love this season!
It starts on Saturday, with the South Milwaukee Downtown Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at South Milwaukee High School. Then it’s the South Milwaukee Christmas Parade on Sunday, starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by the city’s Old Fashioned Christmas celebration.
Learn more in my previous post on Christmas events … and I’ll see you out and about.
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
I love Christmas … and I love Christmas in South Milwaukee.
And that starts with all the special events happening around town. Here’s a roundup, and I apologize ahead of time for missing any …
And merry Christmas!
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
Consider it another example of local students stepping up to help others …
Fifth graders from Rawson and E.W. Luther Elementary Schools have pitched in on projects at the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center for the disabled in the Wisconsin Dells.
The Rawson students built a stairway at the facility, while the Luther students built a stretch of wheelchair-accessible boardwalk.
Learn more in this press release. And thanks to Luther Principal Eric Wightman for sharing.
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee has a terrific collection of local restaurants. Taste for yourself at the second-annual Taste of South Milwaukee on Monday evening, Nov. 11.
The event, hosted by the South Milwaukee Lions Club, will be held from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Salvatore’s, 1912 12th Ave. in downtown South Milwaukee. The bar opens at 3 p.m.
Among the participating restaurants:
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Children 10 and under are $5. All tickets include unlimited samplings. Advanced tickets can be purchased at participating restaurants and from local South Milwaukee Lions members.
Proceeds go to fund the long list of Lions charitable activities. The South Milwaukee Lions lived their “we serve” motto by donating more than $15,000 and thousands of volunteer hours to area organizations and activities in 2013.
Taste also features live music from Abby J & DOTS and Just Rich.
See you there!
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
It’s another Sunday afternoon without a Packers game … why not fill the time with some family fun?
Award-winning children’s book author Janet Halfmann is coming to South Milwaukee’s Trinity Lutheran Church as part of my church’s Community Lecture Series.
The free, family-friendly event, which is open to the public, is set for Sunday, Nov. 3, starting at 4 p.m. It includes a children’s story time, where Halfmann will read from several of her books, and a deeper discussion on her background and tips for aspiring authors.
Child care and activities will be available.
A free spaghetti dinner follows the presentation, and Halfmann will sell and sign her books.
Halfmann, who lives in South Milwaukee, has authored more than a dozen children’s books, including critically acclaimed titles like “Little Skink’s Tale,” “Fur and Feathers,” “Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish” and “Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be?”
Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 2507 5th Ave. in South Milwaukee. Learn more at www.tlcsm.org.
Filed under Community
It’s the second straight year the city has its official trick-or-treating set for Halloween night.
Hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. If you plan on handing out candy, please leave your porch light on.
Now, let’s hope the weather holds … and please stay safe.
Let me know what you’re seeing out there, too. Post your comments below.
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
As the parent of two young kids, I’m starting to enjoy Halloween more and more. And there’s a number of ways to have some frightful fun around town in coming days …
Did I miss anything? Let me know!
Filed under Community, South Milwaukee
Longtime St. Francis Mayor Milton Vretnar passed at the age of 85 last week.
Here is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story. From it:
Milton Vretenar oversaw construction of the Lake Parkway, renovation of Howard Ave., a public library and other development during 26 years as mayor of St. Francis.
“He had a huge impact on our city,” St. Francis Mayor CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls said of Vretenar, who died Sunday of congestive heart failure at Franciscan Villa in South Milwaukee. He was 85.
“I saw that he inspired people with his passion, with his sincere dedication for the betterment of the community,” said St. Marie-Carls, who met Vretenar 28 years ago when she served as Miss St. Francis.
She pointed to the Lake Parkway, the Howard Ave. project, and restructuring of the intersection of Kinnickinnic Ave. and Howard Ave. — “It’s such a great corridor to the lakefront,” she said — as well as his work on the park that would later be named after him.
Please keep the Vretnar family– and all who were touched by Vretnar during his decades of community service — in your prayers.
Filed under Community
South Milwaukee Blog 