Special to the Town Crier
There is no such thing as a free lunch, but you can get an inexpensive pancake breakfast at the 40th annual Rancho Roundup, scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, this coming Saturday, at Rancho Shopping Center in Los Altos.
The breakfast is sponsored by the Rancho Merchant's Association as a fund-raiser for the Parent Teachers Associations of local elementary schools.
The breakfast menu, yours for a $2 donation, comprises pancakes, link sausages, orange juice, bagels and coffee. Parents of school children attending local elementary schools will set up and serve breakfast. Rancho merchants will be on hand to cook sausages and flip the flapjacks.
Ben Moreci, store manager at Andronico's, participating in his first Rancho Roundup, said he is looking forward to the event. Several of his assistant managers will help to flip pancakes and pour juices.
Andronico's and Clarke's Charcoal Broiler will donate the food. Brian Bacher, of Springer Street Bakery, will mix the pancake batter.
Dick D'Oliva, co-owner of Just For You Florist, said he starts to flip pancakes and cook sausages at 7 a.m.
"The line forms early, and you have to be ready with food when that first person comes through the line," D'Oliva said. "I've been doing this for a lot of years - I always look forward to watching our customers come through the breakfast line."
A $2 donation buys a raffle ticket, and each Rancho merchant has given a gift certificate or a prize to be given away to ticket holders. Raffle tickets can be purchased from elementary school students during the prior week, or at the breakfast.
Organizers noted the proceeds raised increase every year. In 1995, schools received more than $12,000 from the event. Last year, raffle prize money and donations from Rancho merchants totaled nearly $15,000. The money is used to purchase playground equipment, computers and other resources for the elementary schools.
Entertainment begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Mountain View High School Jazz Ensemble, followed by Gulliver Spring and his guitar. New to this year's event will be face painting to occupy children.
Rancho Shopping Center is located at the corner of Foothill Expressway and Springer Road.