Once again the CP Rail Holiday Train will roll through the Milwaukee area this December, with stops in Sturtevant, Caledonia, Tosa, Hartland and Oconomowoc over two days.
The train stops in Sturtevant and Caledonia on Monday, Dec. 2 and hits Tosa, Hartland and Oconomowoc before heading out to Watertown, Columbus and other points west on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
It will pass right through Downtown Milwaukee without stopping this time around. (Booo!)
"Each year, CP must carefully consider how it can use the Holiday Train program to reach as many people as possible as part of the fight against hunger," said CP Rail’s Andy Cummings. "This sometimes requires difficult decisions.
"CP appreciates the important work Hunger Task Force does in the Milwaukee community, and CP will support the group with a donation this year. CP encourages community members to also continue their support for Hunger Task Force in the important work that it does."
Launched in 1999, the train has raised nearly $16 million and collected more than 4.5 million pounds of food for food banks along the route in the U.S. and Canada.
Two trains depart Montreal in late November and, together, will visit more than 150 communities for free events with live music and more.
Adorned with bright lights and festive live music by Canada’s Meghan Patrick, Tanika Charles and Kelly Prescott as the train journeys through Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota before arriving at its final destination in Gleichen, Alberta, on Dec. 18.
The complete schedule, with a map, is here.
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.
