Despite Saturday's brisk weather, the third Annual Pancakes for Parkinson's event transformed the Lawn into a veritable pancake factory serving University students, faculty and the Charlottesville community to benefit Parkinson's research.
Pancakes for Parkinson's co-chair Stefin Pasternak said that along with providing pancakes free of charge, the program has two main goals of raising money for Parkinson's research and bringing the University and Charlottesville communities together.
Parkinson's disease is a motor system disorder that attacks dopamine producing cells in the brain and results in muscle tremors and loss motor control. It affects approximately 6.3 million people worldwide, including 1.5 million Americans.
Although the exact numbers are still being tallied, it is projected that the event served over 8,500 pancakes to approximately 6,000 people. While it is not yet clear if this is a world record, according to the Guinness Book of World Records Web site, it certainly was a record for the program, Pasternak added.
Saturday morning alone collected between $15,000 and $17,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Pasternak said. Thus far, Pancakes for Parkinson's has raised a total of over $45,000 this year.
"While young, the event is already the University's second largest fundraiser," Pasternak added.
Beginning in 2004 Pancakes for Parkinson's has grown every successive year. The event gathered a total of $6,000 in its first year, with no donation over $100. In 2005, the event raised a total of $16,000, mainly at the event itself. Pasternak said this year, the program plans to raise a total of over $50,000, including fundraising after the event.
Although the majority of donations still come from individuals, the program has also gained several corporate benefactors. This year's primary sponsors include Booz Allen Hamilton, the University Parents Program, the University Alumni Association and the 21 Society. The program now boasts a Web site in order to boost donations and increase corporate sponsorship, Pasternak added.
Accompanying the event's growth, the program has new ambitions of spreading to other universities across the country, said Kristen Smith, Pancakes for Parkinson's expansion chair. Smith said a group of James Madison University students actually volunteered at this year's event, serving pancakes to University students and taking in the day's activities. They are "definitely going to put [Pancake for Parkinson's] on at JMU," Smith said.
Pancakes for Parkinson's is focusing on bringing in nearby Virginia schools to observe the University event. Smith said the ultimate goal is to become "a national event for a national philanthropy."
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