In honor of National Pancake Day – Feb 12 – International House of Pancakes restaurants throughout Texas and Colorado offered free pancakes to their customers. In exchange for their pancakes, customers were requested to donate the cost of their food to Shriners Hospitals. Jill’s Country CafÈ in Falcon joined the fundraising effort.The Shriners own 22 hospitals nationwide. The hospitals provide specialized care at no charge for children who are burn victims and children with cleft palates, spinal cord injuries and orthopedic problems. More than 800,000 children have been helped through the Shriners.Funding is garnered from Shriners member fees, donations and fundraising efforts. “To put it in perspective, we spend $20 every second, every day, every week,” said Dr. Ralph Hathaway, a member of the Al Kaly Shriners of Colorado.Hathaway and his dog Mija, donning their signature fez hats, greeted children at the cafÈ. Hathaway said it’s all about the children. “That’s why we do it,” he said. “Take care of the kids, and play too.””It’s been a good turnout,” said Jill Bennett, owner of Jill’s Country CafÈ. “People have been so happy we’re doing this.”
