Lions, pancakes and Santa

Oh my! Charity event will ultimately help town

By: Lacey Korevec
   You can eat them the old-fashioned way, with just a drizzle of syrup, or you can get creative and enjoy them pigs in a blanket style.
   Either way, with all-you-can- eat pancakes and sausage, hand-cooked by members of the Cranbury Lions Club, township residents are assured a real treat on Sunday. And, of course, Santa will be there too.
   From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lions Club members will be flipping pancakes and serving up some holiday fun at their 59th annual Pancake Breakfast, held in the Cranbury School cafeteria.
   The event, which Cranbury Lions Vice President Bob Virgadamo said is perfect for the whole family, will also feature a special Christmas guest for kids and adults alike. Santa, as well as a professional photographer to snap a few shots, will be available to create the perfect memory.
   "If you’re just a big kid at heart, you don’t have to be embarrassed to sit on Santa’s lap and have your picture taken," Mr. Virgadamo laughed.
   For a photo with Santa, Mr. Virgadamo said the Lions are asking for a donation that will be less than half the price of what it costs to pose with Santa at a shopping mall.
   The cost of eating at the breakfast is $6 for adults and $4 for children under the age of 10. Orange juice, coffee and tea will be available to drink.
   Lion Jerry Hanson, who is coordinating the breakfast, said the Lions usually serve about 600 pancake breakfasts at the event each year. Money from the event goes to the Lions and eventually makes its way back to the township through charitable activities, he said.
   "We give it back to the community through scholarships and other charitable functions," he said. "It’s just a fun, family-oriented event that begins the holiday season in Cranbury."
   As part of a long-standing tradition, the breakfast always draws a huge crowd, Mr. Virgadamo said.
   "People come in nice and early," he said, adding that there will be festive holiday music playing in the background. "People come in after church. It’s a place to sit and chat. As I look around the room, people are going to other tables and talking to their friends. It’s a very pleasant atmosphere."
   But this weekend is not just about the Lions Club, he said. There are several other community events taking place in the township to kick off the holidays. At 7 p.m. tonight (Friday), the Cranbury Women’s Club will hold its annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony at Memorial Park on North Main Street, where the Brass Band from the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury will perform. On Sunday, the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society will host its annual Tea Party at the Cranbury Museum at 2 p.m.
   "It’s not just the Cranbury Lions doing their breakfast," he said. "It’s all of Cranbury coming out to open the holiday season in Cranbury Township. And the pancakes are really, really good."