Organizers were prepared to accommodate 500 diners at the 67th annual Pancake Festival on Saturday, March 4 at The Village Church in downtown Northbrook. This year, attendance was 300 people.
In-person dining at the festival was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the church’s Westminster Hall and organizers pivoted in 2021 and 2022 by preselling pancake breakfast kits for pick up (pancake mix, syrup packets, coffee filter packs and heat and serve sausage links).
Sandi and Lise Schleicher of Northbrook have been regular diners and pancake festival supporters over the years with the family also volunteering at the event via local Boy Scouts.
“People are craving this sort of a thing again, they’re craving that community feeling,” Lise Schleicher said. “It’s wonderful.”
The Pancake Festival has been held since 1956. Hosting the fundraiser as a dine-in breakfast was a welcome return, said Matt Morgan of Northbrook, the event’s volunteer coordinator.
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“With the smell of pancakes in the air, it’s great, we’re excited,” Morgan said on Saturday.
“They’re here to have good pancakes but ultimately they’re also here to support the causes that we are supporting,” Morgan said about diners who, “seemed to stay around longer and converse.”
The main event beneficiary rotates each year. Exodus World Service of Park Ridge, an organization that assists refugees, was selected to receive a portion of the event’s anticipated fundraiser proceeds of $5,000.
“Members of our local community support this group which provides welcome packs to help refugees from other countries get settled in our communities,” Morgan said about Exodus World Service, adding, “We received about $4,500 in ticket sales, donations and auction bids on Saturday.
“We expect to reach our $5,000 goal after selling unused ingredients the next two weekends at Village Church,” Morgan said.
Also benefiting were recipients Glenbrook North High School Grad Night 2023, the Northfield Township Food Pantry in Glenview, local Scouts BSA and Girl Scout troops and Northbrook Junior High School Grad Night.
“Every dollar of proceeds goes back to these groups,” Morgan said.
The all you can eat breakfast for a nominal fee included regular buttermilk plus blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes.
Dave Owen of Northbrook, Pancake Festival chair, said, “The power of the pancake for us is the ability to reach people in the community,” with a goal, “to help those in need.”
The breakfast also included all you can enjoy sausage, white or chocolate milk, coffee and orange juice.
Doug Kissner of Glenview, procurement chair, jokingly referred to his role as “ingredient guru.”
The over six hour drop-in event required about 150 pounds of sausage, 80 bottles of orange juice, 600 to 700 cups of coffee, 250 pounds of pancake mix, more than 70 bottles of syrup, a couple thousand portion packs of butter and about 20 gallons of milk, Kissner said.
“Somehow, the chocolate (milk) always seems to go first,” Kissner said.
Outside, people arriving to the event were greeted by regular volunteer (since 2009) Jack West of Northbrook who staffed parking lot duty dressed in oversized mitten hands and a pancake costume vest.
“I’m the pancake man,” West said with a laugh.
Inside, music played in the background. Raffle prizes were announced and timed to be distributed throughout the day.
Among the first diners to arrive after the 7:30 a.m. open were Phil and Laura Fiskow of Northbrook, their grandchildren Henry Walters, 3, sibling Eleanor, 1, and the children’s parents Noah and Maggie Walters, also of Northbrook.
Henry had a chocolate chip pancake and ate it like a big chocolate chip cookie with his hands.
Laura Fiskow is of the Barrington High School Class of 1975 and daughter Maggie Walters is of the Glenbrook North High School Class of 2006.
Phil Fiskow, who works in management on the front end registers at Sunset Foods of Northbrook, said, “We’ve been in Northbrook for so many years (estimated 36 years) and The Village Church and all that they do is great for the community.”
Among the several dozen volunteers was Rich Blue of Northbrook who flipped pancakes on the grill.
About volunteerism, “It makes everything work. That’s the point, the chance to be together,” Blue said.
To the volunteers, Matt Morgan expressed gratitude.
“This event can’t happen without them,” Morgan said, acknowledging the helpers.
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“If I’m speaking directly to them, thank you very much.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.