Pancakes and sausage links that were being consumed by thousands of people at Danville’s Palmer Arena Thursday were linking generations.
As some veterans from the 67 years of the event manned the grills, students and other young people pitched in to help.
The event was sponsored by the Danville Kiwanis Clubs, and long-time Kiwanis member Fowler Connell (shown here) pointed out some of the youth who were bussing tables. ‘’The Key Club up at Bismarck is a very active Key Club, and they even draft some people for this event. They put in so many hours – they like to participate. And they’ve been really a big help through the lunch hour. It’s where we particularly need help because some of our Kiwanians are getting a little past their prime – let’s put it that way,’’ said Connell.
Jeff Beukelman (shown in foreground holding pancakes), an English teacher at Bismarck-Henning Rossville-Alvin Co-Op High School and Key Club sponsor there, says his students support several causes. ‘’Obviously the Pancake Day,’’ said Beukelman. ‘’We also help out with the VCCD (Vermilion County Conservation District) Haunted Happenings. We’ve done Wreaths Across America, and we’ve also helped out intermittently with the Festival of Trees here in Danville as well.’’
And what does Beukelman hope his students learn while helping out at Kiwanis Pancake Day? ‘’Just the idea that there’s a much broader community than just the small area in which we live. And that helping out the public is very important. And hopefully foster just the desire and the want to continue helping out other people as they get older,’’ said Beukelman during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com News.
Connell says others who help with the event include the Kiwanis sponsored Builders Club at North Ridge Middle School and Key Club at Danville High School. Some students from Danville Area Community College and the Danville Dashers also help run the event.
And Connell notes the annual Pancake Day is a real community-wide event. ‘’So many people buy tickets in advance – like the American Legion State Auxiliary buys tickets. Some of the nursing homes participate and buy tickets. It gives some of their residents a chance to get away from the nursing home to participate in this. And it’s a big community program – no question about it. And then you see, of course, a few politicians who show up once in a while,’’ added Connell chuckling.
Proceeds from the event go to support several youth related programs in the Danville/Vermilion County area. [Note: You can click on photos to enlarge them.]
