Rolling In Waltham with Joe Maffei

If you grew up roller skating at the Wal-lex, your head fills with the sounds of organ music and wheels on woods – dimming lights and special dances. Joe Maffei will take us to the other side of roller skating, the competitive side, the rigors of daily practice, meeting skaters throughout the country, the pressure of competition and the reward of hard work.

Joe was born legally blind with a high IQ and the stigma of a hyperactive child. Doctors told his father, Ralph Maffei, a retired U.S. Army drill sergeant, he would need to keep his son busy, so he did! Joe became a 5 time U.S. National Roller Skating Champion. He was voted Skater of the Year and later inducted into the Roller Skating Hall of Fame, ranking in the top 3 in the world. He was honored by the Massachusetts State Senate where a banquet was held in his honor.

A natural athlete, Joe was voted “Most Talented” in school and excelled in many areas such as gymnastics, football, martial arts and music.

In 2018, Joe and his wife started a non-profit organization called MightyDrum, Inc. providing transportation to those suffering from drug addiction.

Join us at the Waltham Museum, 25 Lexington St., for this free fun interactive talk. Signup by calling 781-893-9020 or emailing info@walthammuseum.org with name, phone# & email, and number of participants. Parking available in the Public Parking Garage directly across from the Waltham Museum.

 This program is supported in part by a grant from the Waltham Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.