IHOP National Pancake Day

When you first look out there, it’s just another beautiful day in Colorado. However, it’s much more than that. The Management and Staff of the three IHOP (International House of Pancakes) in Colorado Springs have decided that today, February 12, 2008, they would have a charity day, as they do every year. This year they are going to give the proceeds to Shriners of North America. It should be mentioned that an independent restaurant in the area, Jill’s Café in Falcon, Colorado, also asked to participate and they did a wonderful job.

As the patrons started arriving, at 7:00 AM, they were greeted with two or three Shriners wearing their red Fez, which they are so proud of and wear at every opportunity. They are handing out literature about the Shriners and what we do in their Community and around the Country. This serves to remind these people of the two children who were burned badly, in our Community, and taken to the Shriner’s Burn Center in Galveston Texas.

But then they realize there is also a bit of entertainment. Yes, the Clowns of Al Kaly are there, blowing balloons, making many figures and putting a smile on the faces of both young and old. They, like the other Shriners, stop at every opportunity, to answer questions about this philanthropic Fraternity, our hospitals, where they are located and who is eligible. The last question being the easiest, “everyone under the age of eighteen” was answered with pride.

That day eight of our Clowns performed for a total of thirty-one hours. Most of us attended at least one of the two hour sessions, a couple did two of the stints and one of them covered three of the locations over the course of the day. I believe one of the neatest things I saw was when a little three year old girl offered the Clown a donation and he walked her over to the donation box, held her up, and let her make the donation.

Temples in Colorado and Texas made a total of $181,983.00 in donations from IHOP restaurants.

Thank you, IHOP. We appreciate all you did for the Shriners and all you do, every year, in our Community.