RACINE, Wis. — At the 69th annual Racine Pancake Day, Gavin Decheck is helping keep a decades-long tradition alive by showing his son the ropes on the grill.
“I can remember my parents taking me to pancake day when I was a child and being amazed watching the guys flip the pancakes,” Decheck recalled.
On Saturday, Decheck and his 12-year-old were two of dozens of volunteers flipping pancakes for an all-day breakfast.
The event, which draws in thousands, was put on by the Roma Lodge — a fraternity serving as a community hub for Italian Americans.
Organization leader William Pucci reached out to TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin because he wanted to highlight their efforts.
The group stepped up to take over the event in 2019 when it was in danger of being canceled.
“As a labor of love, we decided to take it on,” Pucci said. “You need champions for events like this.”
Three months of planning, 16 thousand pancakes, and roughly 100 volunteers are what it takes to make Pancake Day a success.
The event, which raises money for area non-profits focused on uplifting youth in the Racine community, also continues to draw in supporters with each generation.
“I see the smiles and the memories that are being established with these young families and it brings me back to my youth,” Pucci said. ‘It’s nice to be able to offer that up to them.”
Many of the volunteers who bussed tables, offered musical entertainment on stage and managed ticket counters, attended the area's high schools.
In fact, Decheck's first experience flipping pancakes began when he was in high school, not much older than his son right now.
"It’s the work ethic, it’s serving your community, it’s doing for others," Decheck said.
He's hopeful his son will continue to be among those championing the importance of giving back for years to come.
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