o What: Pancake breakfast to benefit the North County Community Food Bank’s Christmas food basket program.
o When: 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
o Where: Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St.
o Cost: Cash donations. Donations to the Christmas basket fund can also be made in Battle Ground at the Food Bank, 17 N.E. Third Ave., or at the Riverview Bank. To volunteer to sort and distribute baskets, call John Idsinga, 360-852-4960.
The seven members of the Battle Ground City Council will take a break from establishing city policies to don aprons and flip pancakes Saturday morning.
The event will raise money for the North County Community Food Bank’s Christmas food basket program, which provides fixin’s for Christmas meals to families in need.
o What: Pancake breakfast to benefit the North County Community Food Bank's Christmas food basket program.
o When: 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
o Where: Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St.
o Cost: Cash donations. Donations to the Christmas basket fund can also be made in Battle Ground at the Food Bank, 17 N.E. Third Ave., or at the Riverview Bank. To volunteer to sort and distribute baskets, call John Idsinga, 360-852-4960.
Last year, the food bank prepared boxes for about 260 families. In addition, local organizations adopted more than 100 families, purchasing gifts and meals for each family. In total, the food bank helped about 400 families in the Battle Ground area, which includes Amboy, Yacolt, Brush Prairie and Hockinson. This year, the food bank anticipates the number to be closer to 450.
“Every year I tell people the need is greater this year than last,” said basket organizer John Idsinga. “I wish I didn’t have to say that, but it’s the truth.”
Last fall, Idsinga spoke to the city council about the community need and shortage of food bank donations. The food bank had a list of people requesting food baskets and a waiting list of dozens more.
“It really struck me that there are so many needy families in our community,” said Councilman and Deputy Mayor Phil Haberthur.
So Haberthur approached his fellow council members about a fundraiser, which is not sponsored by the city. They decided on a pancake breakfast, accepting donations for the hot meals. Last year, they raised $4,800.
The council members footed the bill, and received donations from stores, for the pancake mix and to rent the community center. That means every dollar raised at the breakfast benefited the program, Haberthur said.
This Saturday, the council members will again spend the morning in the kitchen.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will appear at the breakfast, and Portland Winterhawks players will visit with kids and sign autographs. Last year, Mayor Mike Ciraulo and former Deputy Mayor Alex Reinhold shaved their heads since the event raised more than $1,500. Haberthur is trying to come up with a stunt for this year.
The money raised will purchase perishable food for the baskets, such as turkeys, butter, cheese, and potatoes, as well as brown sugar and stuffing. Clark County Dairy Women will again donate milk. The baskets include about 70 pounds of canned food and 11 pounds of dry goods, such as cereal and pasta. The canned food is collected through a drive at Battle Ground schools that began Monday and runs through Dec. 13.
Each year, the food bank spends about $7,000 on the baskets. Any leftover money is used for the following year’s baskets. Recipients sign up at the food bank for the boxes, which go out on Dec. 18.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
