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CRANBURY: Lions host annual pancake breakfast with Santa

By Amy Batista, Special writer
   CRANBURY — Families filled the Cranbury School cafeteria Sunday with the aroma of pancakes drifting outside the building in celebration of the 65th annual Cranbury Lions Club pancake breakfast with Santa.
   ”The breakfast is the unofficial start of the Holiday Season in Cranbury for many years,” said Andre Mento, First Vice President of the Cranbury Lions Club and Co-Chair of the Event.Families checked in at the Cranbury Lions Club registration and ticket stand where they purchased their tickets for breakfast and lined up in the cafeteria to get their pancakes, eggs and sausage.
   Servers were on hand to help them with their drinks while making sure placemats were set on the tables decorated with poinsettias.
   ”We serve” (which is our motto) about 300-400 for breakfast each year,” Christine Thompson, President of the Lions Club and Co-Chair of the event said Monday. “Yesterday we reached about 400, which is very good, and will allow us to continue to give throughout the year to the Cranbury Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Skeets Food Pantry, Golden Age, Fire Company, First Aid, Cranbury Historical Society, Cranbury Library, Little league and many more.”
   Many families who attended the breakfast spent some time reuniting with their families and friends and continuing the tradition of getting together for the holiday.
   ”The breakfast is a holiday tradition in our family,” said Township Committee Member Jay Taylor. “Today we had four generations together having breakfast from my grandmother down to my daughter. It’s the quintessential small town good feel event that represents the feeling of Christmas, helping those in need, laughing and enjoying the season with friends and family and creating memories.”
   According to Mr. Taylor, no matter where he lived he “always made it a point to come back for the breakfast.”
   Laura Hoffman brought her daughters Maggie, 5, and Lexie, 3, for the third year.
   ”We love it,” Ms. Hoffman said. “We have come every year that we have lived in Cranbury. It’s a highlight of the year. We meet Santa. Tell him what we want and make an ornament.”
   This year, the Boy Scouts became more involved and even add a “secret” pancake recipe to the breakfast.
   Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of Boy Scout Troop 52, Clay Kaiser, 14, of Cranbury led the boys in making their “secret” pancake batter for the pancake breakfast.
   ”All of our Boy Scouts are making batter,” said Clay. “They are making all the ingredients. Before, we used to make the pre-made batter where you just add water. This year and last year, we decided we would make it from scratch so the Boy Scouts have been making it. It has been cheaper and everyone has been enjoying it a lot more. So it’s a plus for everyone.”
   According to Clay, the Boy Scouts of Troops 52 and 153 earned community service hours by participating.
   ”This year we decided we would add more scouts,” Clay said.
   For Ms. Thompson, her favorite part of the event is seeing the different members in the different roles the breakfast calls for.
   ”My favorite part is to witness and watch our membership work together, to see the different members interact in a different way than in a meeting setting,” Ms. Thompson said. “(We also) see some of our members that we don’t (see) throughout the year.”
   According to Ms. Thompson, the event has grown during the years and other organizations have teamed up with the Lion’s Club to provide things like pictures with Santa, poinsettia sales, making ornaments, and much more.
   ”Gracie knew Santa, but was always nervous to sit on his lap,” Mr. Taylor said about his young daughter. “After all, this is Santa, a man, who visits millions of kids and knows who has been naughty or nice. That’s a lot of pressure on a 3 year old.”
   Eventually, Gracie got brave enough when her friends, Maggie and Lexie Hoffman, went to visit Santa.
   ”However, when she saw two of her best friends visit with Santa she realized she had nothing to worry about and bravely sat on his lap relaying her Christmas wish of an iPad and new paint,” Mr. Taylor said. “As we all grow older, remembering that Santa took time to be here in Cranbury and that Gracie’s first meeting was here is very special.”
   Carriage rides were sponsored by the Cranbury Business and Professional Association.
   ”This is our fifth year offering them and the rides are free from 12 – 4 p.m.,” Ms. Thompson said.
   Linda LaSpina of East Windsor took a scenic ride aboard the carriage with her family through Cranbury and enjoyed it.
   ”It was nice,” said Ms. LaSpina. “It started out by the ice cream place (Gil & Bert’s) and went down Main Street and turned around by the Cranbury Inn.”
   According to Ms. LaSpina, the horses’ name was Butch and he was a Clydesdale, weighing in at 2,000-lbs.
   The Cranbury Arts Council also set up a table making ornaments with the kids. In addition, the Cranbury Lioness’ had a table set up in the back of the cafeteria were they were selling homemade and baked goods.
   ”I recall buying holiday gifts there for my parents (in the past), and today it brought back a flood of memories when Gracie went with her grandma and bought her mom and aunt an ornament,” Mr. Taylor said.
   A 50/50 raffle was also held.
   ”Two of our oldest active members were top sellers for our $ 100 ticket raffle which we had for our second year,” Ms. Thompson said noting that its club consists of members in their 30s to the oldest member being 99 years old. “The 50/50 winner was Joe Carroll, a member of the Lions Club and the total prize was 192.”