The story behind our School Program
Pancake Breakfasts That Give 100% Back
There is something about the smell of pancakes on a griddle at 7 a.m. that brings a school community together. We would know. We have been flipping them since 2001.
For 25 years, the Lynn Valley Lions School Program has been serving up pancake breakfasts and BBQ fundraisers at local elementary schools, and in all that time, one thing has never changed: the schools keep 100% of the proceeds.
Wait, 100%? How does that work?
It is a fair question, because most fundraisers come with costs. Someone has to pay for the food, the equipment, and the supplies, and usually that comes out of whatever gets raised.
Not with us. Our club covers every cost of these events through sponsorships and our own internal fundraising. When a school hosts a pancake breakfast with the Lions, every single dollar raised goes straight back to supporting local students and school programs. No fees, nothing deducted.
It works because it is a true team effort. Our Lions bring the pancakes, canned fruit, and the cookshack equipment. The school's PAC provides juice boxes, and fresh fruit comes through the district fruit program. Add a crew of volunteers in aprons, and breakfast is served.
We are also grateful to sponsors like Save-On-Foods, whose support helps make this model possible year after year.
Why we do it
Lions clubs exist to serve their communities, and in Lynn Valley, our schools are the heart of the community. School programs, field trips, playground upgrades, classroom resources: these things all take funding, and PACs work incredibly hard to raise it.
The School Program is our way of making that work a little easier. We handle the logistics and the costs. The school brings the community. And the kids? They get pancakes and the fun of seeing their school gym or playground turned into a bustling breakfast hall.
Over 25 years, that simple formula has raised meaningful funds for local students, one flapjack at a time.
More than a fundraiser
Ask any Lion who has worked the griddle and they will tell you the best part is not the fundraising totals. It is the moment a kindergartner asks for "just one more" pancake. It is parents catching up over coffee. It is teachers, volunteers, and neighbours all pitching in on a rainy North Vancouver morning.
That is what community service looks like to us. Not a cheque handed over at arm's length, but sleeves rolled up, side by side with the people we serve.
Celebrating 25 years
This year marks a quarter century of the School Program, and we could not be prouder. To every school that has hosted us, every PAC that has partnered with us, every sponsor that has backed us, and every volunteer who has shown up early with a spatula in hand: thank you. This milestone belongs to all of you.
Here's to the next 25 years of full plates and fully funded school programs.
Want to learn more about what we do in the community? Visit lvlions.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram