New venue maintains success for pancake breakfast

Although the setting changed, the Chapel Hill Kiwanis Club’s 45th annual Pancake Breakfast Jamboree held Saturday was still heralded as a success.

From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Bible Church at 260 Erwin Road in Chapel Hill, Kiwanis Club members served up a menu that included an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet of pancakes, sausage and milk.

It was the first time in 44 years that the event was not held at the University United Methodist Church on East Franklin Street.

More than 500 attendees adjusted to the venue change and ate an estimated 2,200 pancakes and 1,200 pieces of sausage.

The event also included a silent auction and face painting and balloons for kids, raising $6,500 in all.

“The silent auction alone raised $2,200, which was two-and-a-half times as much as was raised in previous years,” said Victor Weigman, chairman of the event.

Despite opposing factors, many said the event was still a success.

“We had two strikes against us,” Weigman said, referring to the UNC men’s basketball game and a competing event at another church, both held Saturday.

“It’s much better than we expected,” said Travis Blake, treasurer of Kiwanis. “It became apparent yesterday that we’d be slammed.”

While there were a variety of reasons for attending the event, most seemed to appreciate the delicious pancakes.

“I came because I read about it in the paper, and I was hungry,” said Chapel Hill resident Frank Bellamy.

“I really just came for the pancakes,” he added.

The breakfast attracted people of all ages.

“There were just as many families with children as there were members of the older generation,” Weigman said.

Chapel Hill residents Katie, 17, and Scott Evans, 11, said they came because of the tradition and good food.

“I came to eat pannycakes and to see my grandma,” said 6-year-old Steven Shockley. “Chocolate milk was my favorite.”

Despite a tradition of 44 years of holding the event at University United Methodist Church, the location change was well-received.

“The location change worked out great,” Weigman said. “People like the set up, and I haven’t heard anything bad.”

Dick Palmer, a Kiwanis member, has been pushing for a location change for the last nine years.

“We looked at different halls and parking, as well as accommodation for the cookers, as main factors to pick the location,” Palmer said.

Among the attendees interviewed about the location change, most seemed to think that it was overdue and appreciated the increase in parking spaces.

“I’ve never been before, due partly to the parking thing,” said Chapel Hill resident Jennifer Dykes.

Kiwanis holds the annual fund-raiser to support various programs such as Terrific Kid and four $1,000 scholarships for high school students.

The money also goes toward the high schools’ Key clubs and Circle K, a program at the University, Weigman said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.