When it comes to the Kiwanis Club of Emporia’s annual pancake breakfast, success is always the outcome and the recipe for that success, in the opinion of Kiwanians, starts with a simple ingredient, tradition.
That was the opinion of Kiwanis Club President Michael Perigo who spoke with KVOE News during the 77th annual event that filled the Lyon County Fairgrounds Anderson Building Saturday morning. Perigo says when it comes to starting a long-running event such as the breakfast it is not always easy to get it off the ground.
But once you do, it will only grow, as was evident from the more than 600 individuals who showed up in the first two hours alone. Perigo says this included many familiar faces who have made the breakfast a time-honored tradition in their lives every year.
In addition to the regular customers, Perigo says they always have an abundance of volunteers on hand to assist with preparing and serving throughout the day. This year, however, he says there were concerns as to whether they would have enough hands on deck to help, but thankfully the tradition of the event and reputation of Kiwanis meant Perigo only had to make a single phone call to swell their ranks for Saturday.
The pancake breakfast is the club’s largest fundraiser of the year and has never seen a break in recent memory even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perigo credits that longevity and success to the support of the community as well as the determination and willingness to adapt of Kiwanis Club members.
In addition to the breakfast that included all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, bacon and drinks, Saturday’s activities also included several raffle items to help boost proceed totals. All funds generated from the breakfast will go to support Kiwanis club initiatives in the community throughout the calendar year.
Fundraising totals and total attendance numbers are currently pending.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
