So everyone that knows me, knows I’m pretty proud of my hometown.  Berlin Borough is where the Romeos/Sandros have called home since at least the 40s, and before that South Philadelphia for my city slicker Romeo side and Cedar Brook Hammonton for the farmer side.  It’s a cool place to be from. Sure there are times my hometown makes me cringe, but more often than not it makes me proud.  I greatly appreciate the people that work hard to make it a nice place to live and I love that we now have a thing called Berlin Fall Festival.  So when I was asked to host/emcee… I jumped at the chance.

I saw a really great mix of old faces, new faces and faces I’d not seen in a long time.  Including legendary BCS Coach, and personal friend, Ed Kirkwood!  (I saw him a day earlier for a friends B-day so that was cool.)

The most rewarding part of the day for me though, was seeing kids who watch Weekend Philler.  I’m not used to people being “starstruck” around me as I don’t really feed into that part of what I do for Philler… but to little kids, I’m a face they see on TV and to them, that’s a big deal in some cases.  I really enjoyed those kids.  It was great to remind them I went to the same school they did, I know a lot of their teachers and that if they work hard, I’m proof that they can truly follow their dreams and be whatever they want if they believe in themselves.

Huge thanks to Betty Velie who asked me to do this and always being a huge support of my work and the show, thanks to my friends old and new that had nothing but kindness all day at the festival, thanks to the people in/on the committee/government that puts days like this together and most of all thanks to my family for being there. Thanks to departing Mayor James Bilella for an awesome job and well wishes to our new mayor, Rick Miller.

But thanks most of all to the The “Romeo Home Team.”  I have, to me,  the most supportive family in the world and there are lots just like them in our little home town, which is why this was a really, really cool day I won’t ever forget…

Here are some more pics, including many that I stole from the widely talented and super gracious Audrey Johnson!