Bobby Hull (from Occupy MN)

Like many other Occupy branches around the nation and the world, the members of the Minneapolis mothership wing of Occupy MN have been involved in helping foreclosure victims. In Occupy Minneapolis’ case, the homeowners assisted range from impoverished single mothers like Monique White (who didn’t know that her home had been sold out from under her until she tried to turn on the gas one day) to a person living with her disabled and elderly father to a college professor. Occupy’s efforts often result in good things, as they did in Ruth Murman’s case: US Bank and GMAC went from not even bothering to answer her phone calls to giving her an extra four weeks to move, plus paying her and her disabled father’s moving expenses in a cash-for-keys arrangement.

This nationwide movement now has a name: Occupy Our Homes. It may be the part of the Occupy phenomenon that has the most immediate effect on people’s lives.

Here in the Twin Cities, Occupy Minneapolis’ next action in the Occupy Our Homes movement is going to take place on the National Day of Occupation, December 6 — that’s tomorrow, folks. It will be on behalf of a gent named Bobby Hull.

Bobby Hull’s not a famous hockey player — as far as I know, anyway — but he is a good man, a Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam whose mother bought the house he’s now living in back in 1968. The title transferred to him and he was able to make timely payments for years until a series of work-related health problems (he was a master plasterer for 38 years) laid him low. Over the past ten years, he has had to have surgery upon surgery for his shoulders, each surgery taking him out of commission for six to twelve months. Bank of America were the owners of his mortgage, but US Bank purchased the home at the sheriff’s sale and are the current owners — and the ones planning to evict him in February.

If you’re in the Twin Cities and can spare some time tomorrow afternoon, come and help Bobby keep his home. At 12:00 PM, there will be a carpool from the People’s Plaza (aka the Hennepin County Government Center Plaza), then a 1:00 PM rally and set up at Bobby’s home at 3712 Columbus Avenue South. 5:30 PM will feature a community dinner at Bobby’s place.