LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Popular Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary pancake breakfast helps fund community projects


Hundreds occupied popup tables set up on the ground-level library concourse. Photo Thomas Black

The last of the 5K runners had yet to return when the pancake breakfast queue started to form in earnest July 4 at the ticket table on the concourse of the Orinda public library. A couple of hours later some 650 pancakes had been grilled and consumed.

For the bargain price of $10, adults treated themselves to what the Independence Day event sponsor, Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary, was serving - two pancakes (plus maple syrup), two sausages, half a banana, a clutch of table grapes, orange juice, coffee and, if desired, a bottle of water.

This marked the sixth year that the Rotary club has put on the foodie festival. To pull it off, two-dozen members got up very early to start prepping. It took two grills to produce enough pancakes - one in the Orinda Community Center and a second inside a popup tent on ground level.

During the morning, a band played on the apron of the concourse. Meanwhile, the Orinda library took advantage of having a semi-captive audience by holding a book sale. On display was a motor boat recently restored by LSR worker-bees. It is being raffled as the principal fundraiser for 2019-20, with its next appearance scheduled at the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival, Sept. 21-22. Tickets sell for $20 a piece or six for $100. A 1963 Volkswagen Beetle rebuilt by the club and raffled last year netted more than $20,000 (see related story on Page B1).

All proceeds from the breakfast are earmarked to help fund one or more community service projects the club sponsors. Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary meets Fridays over breakfast at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa on Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette. Guests are always welcome.