Community supports Zelienople Rotary through pancake breakfast
ZELIENOPLE — Whether the pancakes were plain, chocolate chip or blueberry, the sweetest thing attendees savored at the Zelienople Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast was knowing it would help the community.
Dozens of community members came together at Glade Run Lutheran Services Sunday morning, April 26, to feast on all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, biscuits and more. Outside of the dining room, tickets for dozens of basket raffles and a 50/50 raffle were also available.
Rotarian Brian Jodon said the pancake breakfast is a tradition with more than just the Zelienople Rotary. It’s common for Rotary clubs everywhere.
“I couldn’t tell you how long the club has been doing it. I know it’s a long time,” he said.
Breakfasts usually supports a cause or causes. Proceeds from Sunday’s breakfast would be poured into multiple Rotary efforts, Jodon said.
“We will use this to support local events. One of our biggest initiatives is our scholarship program. It’s a $1,500 scholarship,” he said.
Last year, the club’s scholarship was given to six recent graduates of Seneca Valley Senior High School.
Jodon said the funds will also be used to support Zelienople Community Park, banners for Fourth of July celebrations and any community organization that asks.
“All of this money stays local. That’s the important part,” he said.
While the early morning was busiest, people continued to trickle in throughout the late morning and early afternoon before the breakfast ended at 1 p.m. While Jodon was impressed by the number of people he recognized, he was astonished by just how many seemed to be new faces.
“There’s more younger kids out here than I can ever remember,” he said. “I think the reason people move into a town like Zelienople is that you want to support that community.”
Bobby and Lisa Hunt, two attendees of Sunday’s breakfast, said it was their first time coming to the Rotary’s pancake breakfast and found the experience pleasant.
“It’s really good food and it was easy to get in. You walk right through and get your tickets and everything,” Bobby Hunt said.
While the two planned to buy some raffle tickets before leaving, they said they had to eat first because the food smelled too good.
“At anything we do, we love supporting, especially in the local community,” Lisa Hunt said. “Friends of ours actually are part of the Rotary, so it’s multifold. We get a good breakfast. We get to support them and we get to support some great causes that are local.”
