The Kiwanis Club of Kirkland sponsored their annual pancake breakfast at the Kirkland Community Center at Parkplace on May 25.
Many club members were on the job at 5 a.m. picking up food, setting up tables and chairs, bringing in table linens and flowers, heating up the grills, making coffee, and figuring out who does what with the procession of a well-oiled machine as the Kiwanis Club kicked into gear.
Key Club members from local schools and other volunteers pitched in to help make this event a success.
The doors opened at 7 a.m. to hungry patrons who paid $7 for a breakfast feast of pancakes, sausage, fruit, coffee, tea, milk or juice. At 8 a.m. the entertainment began. It was non-stop music and fun from local schools and entertainers throughout the morning. This was the first time entertainment was on the “menu” and it was a huge success, adding a party feeling to the whole affair.
Starting the morning’s events were the Kamiakin jazz band, consisting of 25 students and a full jazz band directed by Ward Brannman. Following this toe tapping, finger snapping group, was the Andante Kirkland Youth Choir directed by Sue Heale and Cassi MacDougall.
The group brought smiles to everyone’s faces when they walked on stage in poodle skirts and T-shirts and sang about the 1950s. Thoreau Elementary School was up next with about 25 grade school kids sharing their music with a full house, under the direction of Sharon Frank.
The closing act of the day was HeartGraves, consisting of brother/sister act Conley and Newton Kellogg. Their alternative rock original compositions were enjoyed by the last of the pancake crowd.
The Kiwanis Club gives special thanks to one of their club members who generously donated the food for the event. Mike Marquess, part owner of the Casino Caribbean located in the Kingsgate area, has been a member of the club for four years. He has donated the food for the pancake breakfast for the past three years.
“I am glad to help out with the KITH program and to be able to help homeless families,” said Marquess.
Thanks to his generosity, the club was able to donate $5,000 to KITH (Kirkland Interfaith Transitional Housing).
The annual pancake breakfast is one of the club’s many fundraisers. For more information, visit kirkland.kiwanis.org or contact Matt Gregory, secretary at (206) 851-5585.
