Care-a-lotta, the charitable arm of The Bartolotta Restaurants, announced that it has selected Running Rebels as the partner for its 2019 gala.
With a presence in the Milwaukee market for 25 years, Bartolotta Restaurants has made supporting local organizations a priority. Running Rebels was selected from 80 applications and chosen based on its mission to provide a place for Milwaukee’s youth to make positive choices amidst the daily pressures of delinquency, drug abuse, truancy and teen pregnancy.
"We have chosen Running Rebels for the 2019 Gal-a-lotta recipient because one of our tenets of operation is to help our community," says Alyson Sandstrom, business development manager at The Bartolotta Restaurants. "We were so impressed with the work they have done with Milwaukee’s youth up to this point and we can’t wait to facilitate this gala and fundraise for a group that is making such a positive impact in our city."
The fifth annual gala will be held at the Italian Community Center in October of 2019. The event is fully funded by Care-a-lotta and staffed by Bartolotta employee volunteers, allowing Running Rebels to raise both awareness and funds for their organization.
"We are humbled to be chosen as the Gal-a-lotta recipient for 2019," says Victor Burnett, director and founder of Running Rebels. "We have a passion to engage and mentor youth in the city of Milwaukee and having this opportunity to increase awareness and engagement and raise money for our scholarship program will truly help our organization continue to thrive."
Further details, including the date and time, will be released as they become available.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
