Rotary club flips pancakes into scholarship funds The amount raised through this event will fund the education of underprivileged students in local colleges and help others to attend a RYLA programme.

The Rotary Club of Conway’s (Arkansas, US – RID 6170) annual Toad Suck Daze Pancake Breakfast flipped hundreds of pancakes Sunday morning in an effort to raise nearly $13,000 for Faulkner County students.

“I’m blown away by the support from the business community and their willingness to support an initiative that goes toward local kids at local colleges,” Conway Noon Rotary President Ed Linck said Monday.

The all-you-can-eat pancake extravaganza was held for the first time at Stoby’s Restaurant.

The location was a great pick, and the food was excellent, husband and wife Ron and Susan Gatto said.

The Gattos attended the pancake breakfast on Sunday with their daughters, Erin Gatto and Morgan Evans.
Morgan also brought her husband, Chase.

Morgan is a previous recipient of one of the scholarships the pancake breakfast funds each year.

“This programme was a tremendous help to me,” Morgan told the Log Cabin Democrat.

The Gattos and Evanses each said they were thankful for the opportunities provided to Faulkner County students by the Conway Noon Rotary Club’s fundraiser each year.

“I’d like to give a shout out to Stoby’s for providing the space for this,” Ron said.

“The food is great. Thank you, Rotary.”

Forty-one Rotarian sponsors helped the group reach its $10,000 goal this year.

Following five hours of flipping, serving and cleaning, Rotarian members raised nearly $3,000 more on Sunday.

One hundred per cent of the funds raised through this programme will go back into the community.

Of the money raised, 90 per cent will be evenly divided between Central Baptist College, Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas.

Linck said that while local colleges have been pillars in the community for the 128 years, he was grateful the Rotary club has shared a relationship with these schools for the past 98 years.

“It’s great to be able to carry on that tradition and continue to be backed by an incredible community,” he said.

The remaining 10 per cent of funds collected during the event will support high school students wishing to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp.

The RYLA camp provides students with leadership development skills, builds confidence among youth and more, Linck said.

“We don’t keep any of the money raised for club activities; it goes back into the community 100 per cent,” he said.

Source: Hot Springs Village Voice