By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
Don’t be surprised to feel a heightened sense of security around Waterford next weekend.
Dozens (maybe hundreds) of active and retired Waterford and Milwaukee-area police, firefighters and emergency personnel are expected to get together to renew old on-the-job friendships, share stories and make new acquaintances.
Village President Tom Roanhouse and trustees Jerry Filut and Ron Kluth are organizing next Sunday’s “Guns and Hoses” get together at Doc’s on the Fox, 232 N. Milwaukee St., Waterford.
“This was Tom’s idea,” Kluth said.
The idea came about, Roanhouse explained, after being continually amazed at the number of retired cops and firefighters from around Milwaukee he’s meet who’ve moved to the Waterford area, including Union Grove and Burlington.
These include trustees like Kluth, a retired Milwaukee firefighter who moved to Waterford 12 years ago and Filut, who arrived about 8 years ago after retiring as a Milwaukee Police Department sergeant.
The Oct. 26 get together at Doc’s starts at 4 p.m., segues into the 7:30 Green Bay game against New Orleans on the big screen, and continues on until – well, who knows when.
There’ll be beer, pizza and door prizes (like special t-shirts) included in the evening’s $10 entry per person.
It’s anyone’s guess how many people the event will draw, Roanhouse said. “Right now, we don’t really know what’s going to happen,” Kluth agreed.
Invitations have already been sent out thanks to the cooperation of the Milwaukee police and fire unions in sharing contact information.
“If we get an overwhelming response ahead of time, we’ll arrange for a (parking) shuttle, but probably that won’t happen,” Roanhouse said.
He emphasized the evening’s fun is not for profit. “If we make money, we’ll give it away to someone, or keep it for next year,” Roanhouse said.
And maybe next year might feature a get together at Whitford Park in Waterford, playing for bragging rights in a Guns vs. Hoses ball game.
“I think this is the start of something that will lead to something more,” Kluth said.