Valley City Firefighters' Association kicks off annual pancake breakfast fundraiser

LIVERPOOL TWP. — Valley City firefighters cooked and served breakfast to the community Sunday for the first day of its pancake breakfast fundraiser. The Valley City Firefighters' Association hosts pancake breakfasts on the first and second Sundays in March every year as a way to raise funds to support Valley City firefighters. Association President Kevin Laux said the organization intends to earmark funds from the breakfast to go toward a tanker the department is looking at getting and for new battery-powered positive pressure ventilation fans for its trucks. This year's event also features a gun raffle, and its proceeds will go toward running the Hometown Heroes program in the township, he said. The program places around 30 banners throughout Valley City that display the names and faces of veterans who are Valley City residents or are associated with the township. "The Hometown Heroes program that we're funding with the gun raffle has been huge today," Laux said. At the pancake breakfast, guests can try plain or blueberry pancakes, sausage links, scrambled eggs, fruit, juice, milk and coffee. He said the event is made possible through the work of around 15 to 20 volunteers who do tasks like cook, serve food and sell tickets. "This year, the Valley City Community Group stepped up really big, and they have a handful of volunteers here for us," he said. "We also had some community members and some township trustees this morning come in to help serve along with our firefighters." The association's next pancake breakfast will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday inside the fire station at 6700 Center Road. Ticket prices are as follows: $15 for adults. $12 for seniors and veterans. $8 for children younger than 13. Free for children younger than 3. Family maximum is $45. Future fundraising events for the association include a golf outing May 2 at Bunker Hill Golf Course and the Valley City Street Fair on Aug. 14-16, Laux said. "I have a new (association) vice president and secretary this year," he said. "Sean Houser has been doing a great job, and Darby Sandor has been doing amazing. I couldn't do it without them." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.