On Oct. 27, 2012, Cerritos Elementary school hosted its 8th annual Pancake Breakfast. It was held from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with the primary purpose of fundraising money for the Cerritos Elementary Education Foundation (CEEF). The tickets were $5 per person, and $6 at the door, with one serving per person.
Each customer was given two pancakes, a sausage, scrambled eggs, fruit and a choice of either coffee or orange juice as beverage. There were also numerous tables and stands, including a table for donations to the CEEF, a table for Halloween grams, which raised money for the 6th graders’ Lake Arrowhead camping trip, a table with merchandise from the PeaceBuilders organization on campus and a table for flowers and different plants.
“I think the Pancake Breakfast always brings a lot of people,” said Michael Rizal, sophomore at Cerritos High and former Cerritos Elementary student. “I always come every year because it brings back memories and it always seems so exciting.”
Last year, the school had served 950 plates. The goal for Saturday’s Pancake Breakfast was over 1,000 servings, with money going to the CEEF. There was also on-stage performance, with students singing and dancing in front of Halloween balloon decorations strung across the stage. Each teacher and staff member of the school volunteered, with various teachers taking different shifts, some in charge of the pancakes and some in charge of the fruits and sausages. The principal, Dennis Wilson, was also a part of the Pancake Breakfast as he cooked the pancakes.
“So many people think this is just to raise money, but it really brings the community together,” said J. T. Asis, sophomore at Cerritos High and former Cerritos Elementary student. “People really have a great time and you can see how happy they are to be involved with the Pancake Breakfast, with all the students and staff members serving to be a part of the community.”
Overall, the Pancake Breakfast brought countless people, once again being a success. People crowded the tables, and at the end of the day, it seemed like the community was brought together once again by a joyous annual event.
