Carefree Earth Day Expo and pancake breakfast this Saturday
By Linda Bentley | April 14, 2010
When Councilman Doug Stavoe asked why the Kiwanis pancake breakfast would be a conflict with the Earth Day Expo, Councilwoman Susan Vanik, who is also president of the Kiwanis Club of Carefree, said the board met and voted not to “take away from a town event.”
Photo by Linda Bentley
Councilman restaurateur to the rescue after Kiwanis flap over flapjacks
CAREFREE – For about six months, the town’s events brochure advertised April 17 as the date for the popular Kiwanis pancake breakfast.
Since Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22, Councilman Bob Coady wanted to hold the Earth Day Expo on the Saturday before or after Earth Day.
A few months ago, Coady realized the Kiwanis pancake breakfast was scheduled for the Saturday prior and a wedding was scheduled for the Saturday after.
Town Administrator Gary Neiss suggested they hold the Earth Day Expo on the same day as the Kiwanis pancake breakfast as it would probably bring about 500-600 people to the Earth Day Expo and wasn’t really a conflict.
Coady agreed and the Earth Day Expo was subsequently scheduled for April 17.
However, according to the approved minutes from the March 16 special council meeting, Councilwoman Susan Vanik, who is also president of the Kiwanis Club of Carefree, said Kiwanis didn’t realize its pancake breakfast conflicted with the celebration of Earth Day and said Kiwanis would reschedule its pancake breakfast.
When Councilman Doug Stavoe asked why it was a conflict, Vanik said the Kiwanis board had met and felt they “should not take away from a town event.”
Because the Kiwanis pancake breakfast had been scheduled for such a long time, Stavoe, who owns the 34 Easy Street Restaurant, decided to step up to the plate and put on a pancake breakfast in conjunction with the Earth Day Expo.
Stavoe will be offering a pancake breakfast at the Expo this Saturday for $8 from 8-10 a.m.
However, instead of raising money for Kiwanis, the pancake breakfast will be a fundraiser for local wildlife charities as well as the Cactus Shadows High School Jazz Band, which will be performing at the event from 9-10 a.m.
Students from CSHS art teacher Robin Ray’s classes will be also be at the Expo wearing clothing made from recycled materials and doing on-site demonstrations making jewelry, sculptures and yard art from recycled materials.
With too many exhibitors to list here, the Expo will be a great place to become educated on the latest green products and services, while enjoying a variety of wildlife displays, including “River,” a live beaver.
There will be exhibits on solar technology, water conservation, green building, energy savings, recycling and more.
The Expo, sponsored by Carefree’s Green Initiative Committee, is free and will be at the Carefree Town Center from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.