Charlottesville's Fifth Annual "Pancakes on Parade Day" 

by Jim Hart

The fifth edition of the Kiwanis Dogwood Pancake Breakfast was a big success.  More than four hundred hungry patrons provided a steady stream of visitors to First Presbyterian Church on Saturday morning, April 25, the same morning as the spectacular Dogwood Festival Parade in downtown Charlottesville.  When the final accounting is done approximately $8,000 will have been raised to support the STAR Kids project of Children Youth & Family Services, Inc.  Local talk radio stars Joe Thomas of WCHV and Rob Schilling of WINA promoted the benefit heartily on their shows in the weeks prior to the event, and Joe even performed a shift in front of the griddle for the second consecutive year.  Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris and Counselor Holly Edwards proclaimed the event a sterling example of community service in action and praised the Kiwanians, CKI at UVA, and the Key Clubs for their culinary skills as well as for their civic-mindedness.  "Team Kiwanis" sponsors Sam's Club, Starbucks, and Pepsi-Cola Central Virginia led dozens of other generous local and national industry partners in an event that promises to be one of the highlights of Dogwood Festival season in Charlottesville for years to come.