Get ready to flip, stack and savor as Vets4Vets of Archuleta County and the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs once again fire up the griddles for the fifth annual Free Community Pancake Breakfast at Stevens Field Airport.
The community is invited to breakfast Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12 and 13, from 8 to 11 a.m. at Stevens Field Airport, 61 Aviation Court.
Now in its fifth year, the breakfast has become a favorite late-summer tradition, bringing neighbors together over stacks of pancakes while supporting two organizations committed to serving the Pagosa Springs community.
And if you think pancakes are simply breakfast, consider this: People have apparently been enjoying versions of them for thousands of years. Evidence of pancake-like foods has been traced back to ancient civilizations, proving that gathering around a hot griddle is a tradition with some serious staying power.
Fortunately, the pancake flipping at Stevens Field will stay a little closer to earth. The highest recorded pancake toss reportedly reached more than 30 feet in the air. Organizers make no promises of airborne pancakes at this year’s breakfast, but there should be plenty landing safely on plates.
Behind the syrup, smiles and stacks is an important purpose.
Vets4Vets of Archuleta County is dedicated to supporting local veterans and their families through programs focused on wellness, empowerment and self-sufficiency. Its volunteers provide everything from wellness check-ins to assistance arranging transportation to appointments, helping ensure that veterans in our community have somewhere to turn when they need support.
“We serve pancakes, but, more importantly, we serve those who have served us,” said Vets4Vets president Rick Walker. “This breakfast is a way to bring the community together, honor our veterans and spread awareness about the resources and support available.”
Pancakes have inspired their share of competition over the years, too, from traditional Pancake Day races held in communities around the world to eating records involving more pancakes than most of us would care to count. At Stevens Field, however, there is no race and no record to break. The only challenge may be deciding whether to go back for another stack.
The Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs puts its motto, “Service Above Self,” into action throughout the year. Since 1982, the club has awarded more than $609,000 in scholarships to local students while also supporting community nonprofits, youth programs and service projects, helping build homes, cleaning up the community, and investing in projects that make a lasting difference.
The partnership between Rotary and Vets4Vets makes the breakfast about much more than what is on the plate. It is an opportunity to connect with friends and neighbors, learn more about the work of both organizations and discover ways to become involved in serving the community.
The breakfast is free to the community, with donations gratefully accepted to support the programs and projects of Vets4Vets and the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs.
Attendees can also learn about upcoming meetings, volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved with both organizations.
So, bring your family, your friends and your appetite to Stevens Field Airport Sept. 12 and 13. Whether you like your pancakes lightly buttered, swimming in syrup or stacked as high as your plate will allow, the fifth annual Free Community Pancake Breakfast offers two mornings of good food, fellowship and community service.
After all, pancakes may have been around for thousands of years, but they taste especially good when they’re served for a good cause.
For more information about Vets4Vets of Archuleta County and its work supporting local veterans, visit vets4vetspsco.org. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs and its community projects, visit PagosaSpringsRotary.org.
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