The ingredients for the Kiwanis Club’s 60th Annual Pancakes andSausage Day, which was held Tuesday in the State Room, included 210lbs. of pancake mix, 240 lbs. of sausage, 64 cases of packagedsyrup, 24 bottles of syrup, 24 squeeze bottles of butter and awhole bunch of hungry people.

“It’s a lot of pancakes over the years,” said Pancake ChairmanDustin Walker.

The Kiwanis Club and family tradition of Pancake Day began sixdecades ago at Travis’ Café, which was located near Lofton’sFurniture Store.

The first event included the café’s griddle and inexperiencedKiwanis. The event now takes a day of preparation, three griddlesand a kitchen.

“We didn’t know what we were getting into,” joked Kiwanis memberTom Moak, who was involved in dishing out the very first batch ofpancakes 60 years ago.

The organization’s biggest fundraiser brings in roughly $5,000,which amounts to about 1,000 tickets sold for the event. The moneyraised during the function goes toward scholarships for graduatinghigh school seniors entering college and the Mississippi School ofthe Arts and regular contributions to various children’sorganizations.

“Where there is a need to help the children, we try to step in,”said Walker.

With the event held at the State Room for the past 10 to 15years, Walker mentioned about 40 percent of those that attenddine-in and enjoy all they can eat and the other 60 percent ofpeople enjoy their pancakes elsewhere. He also added that the eventhas turned into a tradition for area residents, and most familiesenjoy dining around 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“It’s just one of those annual events people in Brookhaven lookforward to,” said Walker.

While the pancakes kept those that dined in smiling and werecarefully crafted by the organization’s members, the specialingredient was fellowship. Members said it is the companionship andenjoyment people get out of the day that keep everyone coming backfor more.

“We have fun and people get to socialize and have fun, all inthe course of raising money for kids,” said Brad Boerner, theclub’s treasurer.