Lifesteps hosts 64th annual Pancake Festival
The 64th annual Election Day Pancake Festival for Lifesteps, hosted in partnership with the Rotary Club of Butler, saw plenty of hungry flapjack enthusiasts on Tuesday, Nov. 7, many of whom were sporting their “I voted” stickers.
The event, which has served as an Election Day staple in Butler County for more than six decades, offered pancakes, sausage and drinks from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Tanglewood Center, 10 Austin Ave., in the Lyndora section of Butler Township.
“We have had a great crowd all morning,” said Karen Sue Owens, president and CEO at Lifesteps. “People are enjoying pancakes and sausage, and they are enjoying the opportunity to get some baked goods.”
Proceeds from the event benefit the Lifesteps Family Caring Fund in Butler.
Programs offered by the nonprofit include Child Check, a developmental and autism screening program for children from birth through age 5; a transition program for high school students and young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities; and its adult day health services program.
Owens said the pancake festival has about 50 volunteers helping throughout the day, with the hopes of serving 1,000 guests.
“We have some very dedicated volunteers and of course this event would not happen without the Rotary,” Owens said. “There is a collaboration between the two Rotary clubs. All the people flipping the pancakes are Rotarians, and this could not have happened without the Rotary.”
One of the flapjack flippers was David White, Butler Rotary Club PM president.
“This is just a big part of what we do,” White said. “Lifesteps is everything that we stand for as a club in terms of the service to the community. We are glad to partner with them.”
As part of the team that cooks the pancakes in front of the guests, White said he enjoys getting to see members of the community face to face while also being part of an event that helps serve those people.
“You get to meet so many people throughout the day,” White said. “You see friends you haven't seen for a while and new people throughout the community, so it's a great day and great community event.”
In the back of the large room was a table holding more than 30 themed baskets offered in a raffle. Owens said all the baskets were donated by Rotary members and others in the community.
Next to the baskets were members of the Grosclaude family, who have been helping Lifesteps on the bake sale side of the festival since the event’s conception 64 years ago, Owens said.
“Growing up as a kid, my grandparents were always here, and I would come and hang out with them,” Marci Shay said. “Now it's my tradition.”
The pancake festival represented just one example of the many annual charitable events that benefit people in need in Butler County.
“I think our Butler community comes together to support the programs and services that Lifesteps has been offering to our community for 100 years now, knowing the importance of providing human services,” Owens said. “They know the good work Lifesteps does. The Rotary motto is ‘Service above self’ and I think that sums it up.”
