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
