The Newtown Rotary Annual Pancake Day was underway for less than two hours, Saturday, December 6, and more than 200 guests had already dined on pancakes and sausage, said Rotary member Myra Leuci. With three more hours of the 8 am to 1 pm breakfast still to go, the line out the door seemed to indicate that the event, in its 54th year, would be a great success.

Breakfast diners were greeted at the door by members of the Ben’s Lighthouse organization, and presented with fresh pineapple “lollipops,” to start off their mornings. The fruit pops, some dipped in chocolate, were donated by Edible Arrangements in Monroe. “They’re just to make people happy,” said Ben’s Lighthouse volunteer Madison Findley, as she and her sister Camryn offered the treats.

As the line wound its way through the serving area, Rotary members piled plates high with the flapjacks, and sausages from Butcher’s Best. A peek behind the servers showed still more Rotary members hard at work in the kitchen, mixing gallons of pancake batter, and expertly flipping pancakes.

Scurrying in and out of the kitchen area were members of the Reed Intermediate and Newtown Middle School Interact Clubs, bussing tables, and pleasantly staffing the juice and coffee table. Interact is a junior Rotary Club.

The room was a hubbub of chatter and laughter, as newcomers and generations of families alike settled down at the long tables to enjoy the morning meal. As one chair emptied, it was quickly occupied again. For many families in attendance, Pancake Day is a yearly tradition, kicking off the holiday season. If a “Ho, ho, ho!” was heard now and then, and children’s eyes widened, it was because Santa Claus was making his way around the room, delighting the youngest to the oldest.

Denise and Lee David were in the holiday spirit, both wearing Santa hats as they enjoyed breakfast. “We used to always bring our kids here,” said Ms David, and even though the kids have been gone from home for a while now, it is a holiday event still on their “to do” list, each year.

“We’re supporting Ben’s Lighthouse, the Rotary, and kicking off the holidays,” said Pete Trahan, who breakfasted with his 9-year-old daughter Audrey.

Conversation dropped to a murmur, though, as students of the Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet took to the stage. Presenting excerpts from The Nutcracker Suite, the dancers mesmerized more than one diner as they gracefully acted out the classic holiday tale, to the music by Tchaikovsky.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Dr Bob Grossman was ready midmorning to hand over the griddle to fellow Rotarians Dan Honan and Nick Borrello, having put in four hours of pancake flipping and working the crowd already — for the 54th year in a row.

Whether waiting in line to get in, or heading out for more holiday fun, many diners paused to write a wish, hope, or dream on a paper coffee filter, and tuck it into the chicken wire snowman set up by the door. Another Ben’s Lighthouse presentation, the snowman and wishes will be part of the Sunday, December 14 service at Trinity Episcopal Church.

“It’s a busy day,” said Rotarian Pat Caruso. “That’s good.”