The smell of pancakes and sausage filled the air as community members packed into the fire station for the annual Memorial Day weekend pancake breakfast hosted by the Solon Volunteer Fire Department.
Volunteers spent the morning serving stacks of pancakes, sausage patties, and drinks to a steady flow of residents, visitors, and families. Organizers estimated around 2,600 people attended throughout the event, though they noted it can be difficult to track attendance with people constantly coming and going.
“It’s so hard because people come in so fast,” said firefighter Tom Trump. “Unless we have a turnstile, it’s hard to count.”
The breakfast has become a longstanding tradition for many families during Memorial Day weekend, bringing together people from across the community while also supporting the department.
This year’s event also introduced a new addition to the breakfast tradition, featuring a special pancake recipe created by volunteer firefighter and Solon city council member Greg Morris’ grandchildren, Evie and Will. The recipe was used during the event as part of the department’s longtime pancake breakfast.
Editor’s note: IF you would like a shot at winning a free ticket to next year’s breakfast, and if you think you know what Evie and Will’s secret recipe entails, send a note to Morris. Those with correct guesses will be entered into a drawing. Send your guesses to Greg Morris, c/o Solon Fire Dept., 400 Windflower Lane, Solon, IA, 52333.
Organizers said this year’s breakfast remained largely the same as previous years, with the same menu and traditions community members have come to expect. One visible addition this year was a tribute featured on volunteers’ shirts honoring Scott Kleppe, who was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness. Kleppe spent 26-1/2 years working in the city’s public works department before recently retiring. The shirts included the number 29 on a firefighter helmet, representing his department number.
“It’s kind of a tribute to Scott,” Trump said.
Department members said the breakfast serves a larger purpose beyond just fundraising or feeding the community. In the weeks leading up to the event, firefighters travel throughout the area selling tickets door to door, which also gives them an opportunity to reconnect with residents and familiarize themselves with new developments around the district.
“We get a chance to see where there’s new houses built, or there might be a new pond that we can draft water out of,” Trump said. “It’s good for us to go out and interact with the community, and they enjoy seeing the fire truck coming up the lane.”
Trump said the breakfast also gives residents a chance to reconnect with neighbors and friends they may not regularly see.
“A whole lot of people come, so they get a chance to see people from the community they maybe don’t see very often and run into them here,” he said.
Trump added that the continued support from the community is what helps make the annual tradition successful year after year.
“I think it’s important that everybody gets out and supports us wonderfully,” he said. “It’s a great way to get out and participate within the community.”