MILWAUKEE — Small businesses have continued to rally for the families of Milwaukee public servants who were killed recently.
Assistant General Manager Joan Zellner and the staff at The Packing House have been preparing for their fundraiser on Friday. They are donating 10 percent of the day's sales to the family of Milwaukee Police Officer Matthew Rittner. He was killed while serving a search warrant.
"Yesterday when I counted our actual reservations we were well over 200. Phones have been ringing constantly," said Zellner.
Customers began arriving Friday morning as soon as the restaurant opened at 11 a.m.
"It's just really an honor that's really the only way I can put it, and we all are all very invested in making it the best experience that we can. It really truly is very emotional for all of us," said Zellner.
In Menomonee Falls, Chocolate Falls started making chocolate badges and hearts. All of the proceeds from the badges will help families of fallen officers like Rittner through the Shielded Hearts and the Milwaukee Police Association for Fallen Heroes.
Proceeds from the heart shaped chocolates will go to the family of Milwaukee Public Works employee Bryan Rodriguez who was killed in a hit and run.
"I've got some family a few of them are firefighters, a few of them are police, and then there's also DPW workers so we wanted to do something special," said Dawn Damico, the shop's owner.
Damico said as soon as she shared the news on Facebook she got an order for 60 pieces of chocolate.
Chocolate Falls plans to sell the chocolates for the next week. The Packing House's fundraiser ends at 10 p.m. Friday.
