Kiwanis continues pancake tradition at Festival Days

The Havre Kiwanis Club again will be serving breakfast — through the early afternoon — at Havre Festival Days, continuing a nearly 60-year tradition of a breakfast fundraiser.

The first Havre pancake feed was held by Kiwanis in 1955, and the tradition continues Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Havre Eagles Club, although Kiwanian Robert Floren said the work starts much earlier.

Setup at the Eagles Club will be underway by about 4 a.m., and the volunteers — with help from others including the Kiwanis-affiliated Havre High School Key Club and many other groups from around the community — will be cleaning up until probably 3 or 4 p.m., Floren said.

The work actually starts much earlier with preparation, including ordering the pancake batter mixed by Gary & Leo’s Fresh Foods, with Ron Childree spearheading much of the organizational work.

“He donates quite a bit of his time for the pancake feed,” Floren said.

Things have changed a bit with the pancake feed — it originally ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and first ran in a county-owned warehouse — but the tradition continues.

“We haven’t missed a year,” Floren said.

The all-you-can-eat meal costs $6, with children 10 and younger paying $3 for the meal. That includes pancakes, of course, sausage, juice or milk and coffee. Floren said people are asked to use the north entrance to the Eagles, off 1st Street.

Proceeds from the event support the Kiwanians’ work in the community, including youth projects and work at Camp Kiwanis in Beaver Creek Park.

Floren said some recent activity at the park includes work on the historic chapel at Camp Kiwanis, new sidewalks, restrooms, windows and doors in some of the facilities there.