A Taste of the Past 

By Bill Crawford

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Annual Kiwanis Pancake Days in Columbia, Missouri 

1952 – present

How did something like an annual Kiwanis Pancake Day get started in Columbia, Missouri 60 years ago? Did a group of Kiwanis volunteers know how much fun and valuable community service and history would be forthcoming? No, but it happened is spades.

There was the Columbia Kiwanis Club2 of about 120 members that started the ball rolling – they needed funds for their civic programs. In the 1950’s, right after World War II, Columbia was a fast growing, moving town (population 31,974 including students). It was in dire need for community funds focused on the problems of children and youth groups. That was a major mission of our Kiwanis Club, but it lacked the sufficient funds. As early as 1951 there was a feeling among the members, that a major project was required to fund the programs.

So, on November 1, 1951 a special meeting was held by Columbia Kiwanis Club president J. E. Blakmore when he urged the Board and members to present their ideas on funding. These included a pancake fry and fashion show, white elephant auction, picture show, barbershop singing contest, carnival, and a Boone County Fair project. A special project committee was appointed. On April 27, 1952 Board member Walter Baird gave a report and the group approved plans for the first Pancake Day! It was to be on May 22, 1952 at Jack’s Latch, a restaurant on South 9thStreet next to Booches Billiards and the Hall Theatre. It was a very successful start. Hundreds of downtown workers showed up with even more MU students. University students had virtually no on-campus cafeterias, so it proved a pretty good draw for them. Particularly since the first tickets were priced at 60 cents and the location was handy to the MU campus.

The Kiwanis Club, amazed at its success, voted on a motion by Ernie Funk (June 3, 1952) that Kiwanis Pancake Day in Columbia would be an annual affair. So we were off to the long history of Pancake Day in a cloud of dust. Remember, tickets sold for 60 cents, a good bargain for all the pancakes and sausage you could eat along with great fellowship.

The question: How did the early days of Pancake Day work? Here are some of the ways and means that made it function.

 

1. 1.Generally held in March on Monday – Most major restaurants closed on Monday after a rushing Sunday dinner business. This made it easier to obtain locations for the day without cost. This changed over time.

2. 2.A very large part of the food and supplies was donated. It was great advertisement for the businesses. The major stores of Kroger, Safeway, Piggly Wiggly, A&P, Central Dairy, Dorn Cloney (dinner cloth, napkins, aprons), Wyatts Groceries, Quaker Oats (Aunt Jemima in person from St. Joseph).

3. 3.Sausage: Rice’s and Oldham’s of Kansas City would send trucks. Sausage was in 5 foot long cloth sacks, needing cutting and frying. Gallons of grease rendered.

4. 4.Cases of eggs from local poultry houses.

5. 5.During various years, large banners were posted across the streets downtown advertising the upcoming feed.

6. 6.The Club Vice President chaired the entire day; however he appointed a general chairman for procurement, kitchen, production, tables, etc. For many years Frank Wyatt, Joe Edmondson, Bill Crawford, and Leroy Sharp gained a great amount of working history in the production side of things.

7. 7.In the older days all the grills were gas but through the years this slowly changed to electric with automatic settings. Set up crews were very important to bring the grills out of storage, connecting to gas or electric. This activity really needed professional volunteers.

8. 8.Ticket selling contests – Frank Wyatt of the Columbia Club provided prizes of T-bone steaks and butterfly pork chops. Over the years C. K. Odor and Bill Waxler usually won. Between the two of them they usually sold 400 – 500 tickets. They had a system and knew the town and citizens.

Money from the early days paid for the building of new shelters at Kiwanis Park and Grindstone Nature Area, and a whole lot of community children’s support programs.

Since 1952 some of the locations for Pancake Day have been at Jack’s Latch, Tiger Hotel, Daniel Boone Hotel and Restaurant, Missouri United Methodist Church, Flaming Pit – Parkade, Breisch’s Restaurant , Holiday Inn Executive Center. After a long stay at the Tiger Hotel, the event began moving around town and presently is held at Dulany Hall – Columbia College. Dulany Hall has evolved as the best facility of all the locations and we are wonderfully fond of and thankful for our relationship with Columbia College. 

All of the early work between 1952 and 1960 was a Columbia Club project. This change drastically with the chartering of the Little Dixie Club in 1960, Boonslick Club in 1966, Golden K Club in 1985, and Westside Club in 1989. Pancake Day became a shared operation, more manpower, more sales – bigger and better.

Today – many changes have happened over time. Most of the food and supplies are purchased at cooperating markets and stores. Kitchen facilities and large attractive serving areas are much improved today. All the pancake supplies and food comes ready for the grills – only mixing of batter and slicing of ham. No more sausage cooking. Eggs and other items are served as extra fare. Hours open are reduced. Originally open from 6:30 am – 7:30 pm (and longer if needed), today hours are 6:00 am to 1:00 pm. 

 

Kiwanis Pancake Day continues its merry way of 60+ years. It reigns supreme in quality and community friendliness and purpose. People love it and support in it grand fashion. And it provides funds for its mission – “Young Children Priority One.” Pancake Day has also provided the opportunity for all five Kiwanis Clubs’ members to really know each other and work together in making Columbia a better place to live. Over the years Kiwanis has served approximately 750,000 pancakes to Columbia supporters. And have we had inflation over the 60 years? You bet – 60 cents a ticket in 1952 to $6.00 today.

See you next year!