WESTFIELD – Feeding breakfast to 4,000 people is no easy task, but the city’s two Boy Scout troops are tackling it, one pancake at a time.
The Community Pancake Breakfast May 18 is a Boy Scout fundraiser in celebration of Westfield’s 350th birthday. Pancakes and sausage are on the menu, and organizer Dave Flaherty said the scouts are ready to serve, but they still need donations to make it all happen.
“We are trying to cover the cost of everything we need for the breakfast, but also to provide Westfield school children with a free ticket,” Flaherty said.
Residents and businesses can sponsor an elementary or intermediate school classroom with a $50 donation and a middle or high school classroom with a $100 donation.
Cost for the breakfast is $3 for children, $5 for seniors and $6 for adults.
“And for an additional $2, you can goop it up!” Flaherty said. “The ‘goop’ upgrade includes whipped cream and berries on your pancakes.”
Breakfast tickets for the general public are available the day of the event.
Flaherty said he is planning to cook and serve 10,000 pancakes for 4,000 participants.
“We expect to serve 20 customers per minute, cook 48 pancakes per minute, operate 15 griddles, use 6,000 butter pats, 90 gallons of syrup, 170 gallons of pancake batter and 600 pounds of sausage links,” Flaherty said.
North Elm Butcher Block is helping by cooking the sausage and Dunkin Donuts and the Sardinha family are providing coffee – 80 gallons of coffee, to be exact, as well as cream, sugar and cups. Flaherty said the troops need to have enough of everything, including food, napkins, plates and utensils.
Westfield 350 President Harry Rock said he is grateful to Flaherty and Joe Mitchell who took on the event on behalf of the scouts.
“Dave really took it and ran with it,” Rock said. “My whole vision for the 350 was to have it be about community and families, and what’s a better way to bring the community together than a pancake breakfast?”
Activities for families will take place throughout the breakfast.
“We will have music with Peter Cowles, face painting by Natalie Mitchell, a balloon artist, Thunderbirds mascot Boomer and two scouts will have their Eagle Scout projects, including historic games and a photo booth,” Flaherty said.
Additional entertainment includes a dunk tank. Flaherty said he invited teams and youth programs to run the tank and accept donations during the breakfast. St. Mary’s Parish High School Principal Matthew Collins will be ready for a dunking at 10 a.m.
The Community Pancake Breakfast is May 18 from 7:30-11 a.m. at Westfield Middle School. To make a donation or sponsor a classroom, visit westfield350.com/pancake-breakfast.
