Pancake fundraiser a community event
Those who appreciate first responders got to chow down on a heaping plate of pancakes, sausage, eggs, cheesy potatoes, toast and homemade pumpkin roll Saturday, Sept. 21 for just $10 at the 2nd annual Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company Fall Pancake Breakfast.
The event, held at the fire hall on Connoquenessing’s Main Street, was organized through a collaboration between the fire company and Connoquenessing Township to raise funds for new equipment, training and the building fund at the fire company.
David Cottington, president of the fire company, said the organization has been trying to build a new fire station for 50 years.
He said the fire company already owns 7 acres at the intersection of Evans City Road and Main Street, Connoquenessing.
Cottington said the fire company received a grant through U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16, and is waiting for other grants, and has a fund in place for the $7 million fire station project.
“We need to raise $3 million, depending on the grants we’re waiting on,” he said.
He said part of the current fire station was built in the 1800s and an addition was built in the early 1900s.
“As the township is growing, we need to grow as well,” Cottington said.
He said the fire company has collaborated with the Butler Farm Show to form Farmers and Firefighters to educate young farmers and train junior firefighters.
“There is such a shortage of firefighters,” Cottington said. “We need to get the younger people involved.”
He said Pennsylvania 10 years ago boasted about 300,000 firefighters.
“Now, we’re down to about $35,000,” Cottington said.
He watched as more than 30 volunteers worked in the kitchen, scurried about delivering breakfasts and coffee, and manned the ticket table at the entrance.
“It’s nice they think so much of us to volunteer,” Cottington said. “The volunteers work for months to put this together, then they spend a Saturday serving others.”
Michelle Beck is the volunteer kitchen coordinator for the pancake breakfasts, and oversaw the busy kitchen staff on Saturday.
She said the first pancake breakfast last year served more than 400 meals.
The entire $4,000 raised went to the fire company coffers, as all the food, ingredients, coffee, table coverings, paper plates and everything else needed to pull off the pancake breakfast was donated, either through monetary or product donations, by local individuals and businesses.
“We’re hoping to top that today,” Beck said of last year’s amount. “It looks like we might, because we can’t keep up in the kitchen.”
She said she and her fellow volunteers are happy to help out.
“People only think of the fire company when they need them,” Beck said. “They do so much more than put out fires and rescue cats from trees.”
She said she starts planning for the breakfast in May, but the week before the event is the busiest for the volunteers.
“They are people from the community who want to support the fire department and want this to be a success,” Beck said. “It’s just great that we have volunteers who are willing to be here all day long. Everyone is just fantastic.”
Angela Fleeger, who is a Connoquenessing Township supervisor, co-organized the breakfast with Beck. Fleeger was in charge of the hall where breakfasts were served.
She said the huge turnout at both the pancake breakfasts held so far makes one thing clear about the local community.
“It says that we are a family and we all care about each other and we’re going to do whatever it takes to support each other,” Fleeger said.
She looked over the tables in the fire hall, where neighbors ate and chatted with one another.
“This is the community’s way of showing their support for the fire company and the response to the breakfast has been overwhelming,” Fleeger said. “We really appreciate it.”
Loren Mottern came to the breakfast with her husband and three young sons, Preston, 12; Malcolm, 9 and Duncan, 5.
“They volunteer to basically save people from fires and there’s a chance they may die,” Preston said of his reasoning for wanting to support the fire department.
“They do very hard work and they put out fires,” said Malcolm, who named eggs, pancakes and sausage as his favorites on Saturday’s plate.
David Rider, of Forward Township, is a longtime supporter of the fire company who recalls attending bingo fundraisers there in the 1980s.
“If there’s something like this, I like to help if I can,” he said. “If you need them in an emergency, they show up.”
Laura Franklin, of Butler Township, also brought her three young sons to the pancake breakfast. Her fourth son, J.D., was at baseball practice.
“We have friends who are with the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District,” Franklin said. “I was just talking with the boys about how we should help firefighters because they give up their free time and even their lives to help us.”
Her son, Colton, 8, said his favorite food on Saturday morning was the pumpkin roll, but he knew the real reason his family came to the pancake breakfast.
“Firefighters support our community and risk their lives for kids,” Colton said.
His twin brothers, Levi and Deacon, 5, also enjoyed the hearty breakfast on Saturday morning.
