About 300 people attended a special steak night fundraiser at Riverhead Polish Hall Friday night to support an effort to build a new animal shelter.

The event raised about $7,000 for the cause, Move the Animal Shelter organizer Denise Lucas said.

"It's not the kind of environment you want to bring kids to to adopt a dog," she said. "I brought my neighbor's 14-year-old daughter to look for a dog and I was literally disgusted," Lucas said, explaining how she decided to work for a new shelter.

"I went home and I sat on my porch and wrote a little book to Jim Wooten," she said, referring to the Riverhead councilman who has been the town board liaison to the animal shelter. "I said, 'something's got to be done about this.'"

Lucas acknowledges she's taken on a big job, perhaps more than she originally bargained for. "It's a little overwhelming sometimes," she said. "It's more than a second job. It never stops. But my goal isn't even just about the money. It's to bring awareness to the issue. We're a town of 34,000 residents. We have a pretty lousy animal shelter. The animals deserve better," she said.

Lucas said she raised more than $12,000 in the first five weeks of her effort, not including last night's fundraiser, which netted $7,000.

She's got several more events coming up in the next few months.

A Christmas party for the animal shelter is planned for December 17 at The Eagles Landing at Calverton Links. Tickets are $25 per person.

In January, she's scheduled a spaghetti dinner, with tickets at $15 per person "to keep it affordable for everybody after the holidays," she said.

In February, there will be two events: an "Uncle Fester" reunion party at the Moose lodge on February 11 and a leap year party Feb. 29 at Cody's BBQ.

Lucas has plans for a big blues bash at Calverton Links April 29. "Hogs and Hot Rods Rock the Shelter" will feature five different bands and a motorcycle poker run from Calverton to Orient Point.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl

About 500 people turned out for Riverhead Rotary's annual pancake breakfast this morning at Polish Hall in Riverhead, where Rotarians served up flapjacks, scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit, juice and coffee. There was face-painting, balloon animals and a clown for the kids.

"We made several hundred pancakes," event chairman Paul Thompson said. "The event was a great success."  The breakfast is one of the club's principal fundraisers, which support Rotary's philanthropic activities, such as college scholarships and donations to community charitable causes.

Riverhead High School's NJROTC cadets helped serve guests and bussed tables, earning community service credit for their participation.

With Election Day coming up on Tuesday, the pancake breakfast was a popular whistle-stop for candidates, including county executive candidate Angie Carpenter. Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter and former supervisor Phil Cardinale, running for the post again, who are both members of Riverhead Rotary, came for breakfast with their families. Republican incumbent councilman James Wooten was on hand, as were challengers Marlando Williams and Matt Van Glad. Assessors Paul Leszczynski and Mason Haas, as well as assessor candidate Evan Philcox also attended, as did County Legislator Ed Romaine.

Janice Kracke of Riverhead won the 50-50 raffle prize of $335. Thompson called her after the drawing to give her the good news. Kracke who said she'd gone home after having breakfast and was cleaning out closets when the call came, returned to Polish Hall to pick up the cash prize.

Correction: A previously published version of this article omitted Riverhead Assessor Paul Leszczynski among the elected officials and candidates for office who attended this event.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti