When East Lansing City Councilmember Bev Baten saw a group of children on the news come out of their school to cheer the firefighters in the station across the street, she realized it was important for East Lansing to honor its emergency workers.
Planning is underway for “Breakfast for America,” a pancake breakfast to benefit the New York City United Way September 11 Fund and to showcase local rescue workers.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 30, in East Lansing High School’s cafeteria, 509 Burcham Drive.
“Everybody wants to do something and a lot of contributions of $20 to $50 to United Way or the Red Cross are good, but when you send a donation in the magnitude of thousands of dollars, it makes a huge and immediate impact,” Baten said.
The event will give city personnel a chance to show their support despite the miles between the Midwest and the East Coast, East Lansing Police Chief Louis Muhn said.
“We’re forced to just sit back and watch what goes on in New York and Washington, D.C., but this is an excellent chance for us to help,” he said. “We can’t send personnel, but what they need most is money and we can send that.”
A $4 suggested donation will be collected to attend the breakfast, but attendees are asked to donate whatever they can manage, assistant community events director Ami Field said.
Donations will also be accepted from those who aren’t able to attend the breakfast but wish to add to East Lansing’s contribution. These checks can be sent to the City of East Lansing/New York Disaster Fund, the East Lansing Police Department/New York Disaster Fund or the East Lansing Fire Department/New York Disaster Fund.
Although the breakfast is still in the early planning stages, many volunteers will be needed and donations for all the supplies including the pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee that will be served, Field said.
“The local community has been looking for something to do and this gives them a reason to come together for one cause,” Field said. “We’ll need people to help us set up Saturday night and Sunday morning and groups to hand out fliers about the event. We’re also hoping to get local businesses to donate the supplies.”
The Pretty Shakey String Band will be performing at the breakfast from 10 a.m. until noon, and Field also hopes to have arts and crafts projects for children..
East Lansing Fire Chief Randy Talifarro said there is also talk of having the fire department on hand to show the different types of equipment used in a rescue effort.
“There’s a real desire to do something to help the situation,” he said. “This will let us pull together and deal with our hurt suffering as a community.”
Anyone interested in helping with the breakfast can contact the Community Events Department in City Hall, 410 Abbott Road, at (517)319-6823.
