Most Alabama fans will have one wish on their minds come Saturday: to beat LSU. However, the Chi Omega sorority will be raising money to grant wishes that reach much farther than Bryant-Denny Stadium.
This Saturday, the University of Alabama’s Chi Omega chapter will host their annual pancake breakfast to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The event will take place at the Chi Omega house beginning at 9 a.m., and the breakfast will end around noon. There will be a UA fraternity pancake-eating contest at 11 a.m. on the front porch. There will be approximately 20 contestants, and prizes will be given to the top three finishers.
Tickets to the event are $5 and will be available at the door. The fee covers all-you-can-eat pancakes and access to the pancake toppings bar.
“There will be different flavors of pancakes, such as blueberry and chocolate chip, and pretty much any topping you can imagine,” said Kay Rainey, a Chi Omega philanthropy chair.
A jazz ensemble of UA music students, led by instructor Kevin Woosley, will also provide entertainment. They will be playing on the front porch throughout the breakfast.
All of the proceeds from ticket sales and any donations given will go directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Our goal is to raise $20,000, which is enough to grant four wishes,” Rainey said.
At the breakfast, donors of $500 or more will receive special recognition as “Star Donors,” and their names will be displayed on a plaque inside the Chi Omega house, Rainey said.
KenDerrick, a seventeen-year-old Make-A-Wish recipient whose family was a victim of the April 27 tornado in Tuscaloosa, will also be at the event.
Chi Omega will present KenDerrick with two tickets to the Alabama vs. LSU game, and his wish to go to Hawaii will be granted in May.
“This event is incredibly special for Chi Omega, and having KenDerrick there will make the event that much more meaningful,” said Katie Brazeal, another Chi Omega philanthropy chair.
Make-A-Wish is Chi Omega’s national philanthropy. UA’s chapter hosts a pancake breakfast annually with the hope of raising more money each year.
“We are excited to increase the impact of the Make-A-Wish Foundation while improving the lives of children with terminal illnesses,” Brazeal said.
