By Brandie Majeau
St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church has been preparing and serving breakfast for July 1 as
part of the Thorhild Stampede for 25 years. The event is one of the biggest fundraiser events
the church puts on annually, but it is not without its challenges. When St. Anne’s was
approached 25 years ago, the current council agreed to provide a breakfast with the
understanding that they would be allowed to continue to use it as their fundraiser every year.
The breakfast begins with planning stages but is also a massive undertaking and huge
commitment; shopping, set up and preparations take time to make this pancake breakfast a
success.
The pancake breakfast requires a minimum of 25 volunteer individuals, several of
whom begin their day at 5:30 am, to greet guests at the door for ticket sales, cook, serve,
constantly replenish refreshments and accoutrements, and clean up after hundreds of people
come through the Thorhild Drop-In Centre doors. To date the lowest attendance has been
approximately 300 people and their best year welcomed over 400 patrons.
After years of practice and making mistakes, the breakfast now runs like a well-oiled
machine that keeps that wait time as minimal as possible. Comments could be heard this year
about the long line up extending across the street the previous July 1, but that was also a
record-breaking turnout. One guest finished his meal this year commenting as he walked out,
“That was one of the best organized breakfasts I’ve ever been to.” Breakfast is served hot and
fresh and welcomes family and friends to gather at communal tables to begin their celebration
of Canada Day every year!
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