By Jason Klaiber

Staff Writer

On Saturday, May 18, the DeWitt Rotary Club will once again pitch the tent for its annual Pancake Day.

But for the first time in many years, Pancake Day will have a new home.

The club’s 65th all-you-can-eat breakfast will take place in the Best Buy parking lot in Marshall’s Plaza from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 18.

Pancake Day, the main fundraiser organized by DeWitt Rotary, had regularly been hosted in the back lot of ShoppingTown Mall adjacent to Kinne Street.

“Because of all of the business going on at ShoppingTown, between the owners of ShoppingTown and the county and town, we were just unsure that the spot would be available to us,” Kathy Kotz, a co-chair on the planning committee for this year’s event, said. “We had to protect our fundraiser and make sure that we could hold it. That’s when we went looking for another property.”

From there, Benderson Development — the company that owns the Marshall’s Plaza on Erie Boulevard East — gave the green light.

“We’re thinking it’s going to turn out great,” Kotz said. “You get really good exposure from traffic going by on Erie Boulevard, and Marshall’s Plaza is extremely busy, especially on a Saturday.”

Mark Strodel, the chair of public relations on the Pancake Day committee, said as many as 4,000 people can be fed throughout the event’s seven-hour runtime.

A staff of Rotarians and other volunteers cover shifts on the 12 grills. Each grill holds about eight “decent-sized” pancakes, Strodel said.

“You might have 100 pancakes going at any one time,” he said. “It’s a popular event, so you get a line, but in general the pancakes are served up fairly quickly.”

Keeping with tradition, an assortment of pancake flavors will be offered, including plain, blueberry, M&M and chocolate chip. Sausages, juice, coffee and milk will also be provided.

“There’s a lot of people who have been going to this pancake breakfast for years, going back to when they were little kids,” Strodel said. “You have parents there. You have grandparents there. You have younger kids there. You have older kids there. You have a cross-section of people.”

In prior years local politicians, veterans, coaches, newscasters, police officers and fire department personnel have been attendees.

“I really think it’s the kind of event that people look forward to,” Strodel said.

Several businesses lend helping hands to keep the day moving successfully.

The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) and Property Restoration Inc. take on the responsibility of cleaning up trash and bringing it to the proper destinations.

Thompson & Johnson donates a forklift, used for bringing equipment to the tent, while Byrne Dairy loans a refrigerated truck.

Traditionally held around Mother’s Day, Pancake Day is planned meticulously from late in the fall to the end of April.

“There’s a lot involved,” Strodel said. “It’s just making sure all the t’s are crossed and all the i’s are dotted.”

In advance, tickets cost $8 individually or $20 for a group of three. The price is bumped up to $10 per person the day of the event. Children ages 7 and under eat for free. With the purchase of every ticket, a $10 gift certificate to Dick’s Sporting Goods has been included. Tickets can be retrieved from any Rotarian or bought online at dewittrotary.org.

Furthermore the DeWitt Rotary’s “Flapjack Review,” a publication highlighting the club’s philanthropic activities, will be handed out to Pancake Day patrons.

After expenses, the DeWitt Rotary sends the entirety of the net proceeds from the event toward local, national and international charitable needs.

Over the last five years, the DeWitt Rotary has donated over $160,000 back to the Central New York community. Nonprofit and charitable organizations — such as On Point For College and the Salvation Army — have been on the receiving end of the club’s fundraising efforts in the past.

Organizations can apply for grants through the DeWitt Rotary website, under the “Request Funding” tab.