Local community groups will be flipping flapjacks for charity next Tuesday. The day pancake lovers wait for all year, Shrove Tuesday, better known as pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, is Mar. 8. The tradition of serving pancakes on Shrove Tuesday began as a way to use up ingredients such as eggs, milk and butter before the religious fast of Lent. Now the day provides and opportunity for local organizations to provide fun and filling fare for good causes.
Gale Presbyterian Church in Elmira will be one of several groups holding a pancake supper, complete with Elmira maple syrup. Residents can take part in the feast held in the church’s basement beginning at 5 p.m.
The proceeds from the supper will be split between a fundraiser for Haiti and the Woolwich Counselling Centre.
Chairs of this year’s event Dave Chalmers and Marnee Ewasko enjoy planning a fun event that also gives back to the community. Chalmers, who has been organizing the annual supper for five years, said the volunteer-run event also set a good example for younger members of the congregation.
“I think it’s good for the kids in our church to realize we’re part of a global community,” he said. “I feel very strongly that the church must support the community. A church can’t exist just for itself.”
The Waterloo Oriental Band, a Shriners group, will also be holding its first pancake supper to raise money for the Shriners’ Hospital for Children.
Shriners’ Hospitals specialize in treating burns, skeletal, spinal and cleft palette conditions in children, with all care costs including transportation, accommodations and meals for parents begin covered until children are 18 years old. Currently seven children in the Waterloo Region are transported by the group.
Christopher Bradley, band member and organizer of the event, thinks the supper will see at least 100 participants judging by pre-sales, but will still be selling tickets at the door.
Held at Mason Hall in North Waterloo, the supper gets underway at 5 p.m.. Most Shriners’ events are couples only, however Bradley hopes to see more children on Tuesday.
“This is a family event open to everyone, Shriner or not,” he said.
Bradley said the band primarily uses donations solicited from appearing in parades as a source of fundraising.
“The idea for this event came when we were looking for some options besides parades,” he said. “They do this on a grand scale in the U.S.”
Also holding a pancake supper is the Wilmot Mennonite Church in New Hamburg. The church can be contacted for more details.
