Galesburg Lions Club celebrates 78 years of Pancake Day tradition and community service

In this episode of Galesburg's Morning News, hosts Jay Redfern and Tyler Gumm welcome Josh Gibb and Kim Norton of the Galesburg Lions Club to preview the 78th Annual Pancake Day, taking place Friday, Feb. 20, at First United Methodist Church. The event is the Lions Club's largest fundraiser, with two seatings at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Attendees can expect all-you-can-eat pancakes (made with a secret recipe), sausage, eggs, and coffee, with club members circulating to offer seconds. The event typically draws 800 to 900 people. Gibb, who has been with the Lions Club for 20 years, reflects on Pancake Day's deeper purpose beyond fundraising. The club intentionally uses long straight tables instead of round ones to encourage attendees to sit with neighbors they might not know and spark conversation. He calls a pancake "a circle of enriched flour love" and says the meal is simply the reason for people to come together. Proceeds support vision and hearing assistance, food programs including the Riverbend Food Bank and Blessings in a Backpack, school donations, and environmental projects. Norton and Gibb encourage anyone interested in joining the Lions Club to attend Pancake Day or visit their weekly Wednesday lunch meetings at 156 East at noon. The Galesburg Lions Club Pancake Day is Friday, Feb. 20, at First United Methodist Church, 120 N. Kellogg St. in downtown Galesburg.