NDWCC pancake breakfast provides early sizzle

Capt(N) Sebastien Richard, Commander Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, serves breakfast during the 2021 NDWCC kick-off.

Peter Mallett, 
Staff Writer

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The flapjacks will be grilling, the coffee brewing and the sausages sizzling at the traditional pancake breakfast during this year’s National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC).

This year’s campaign will kick off a month early.

“A lot of people at the Base really look forward to this event because it builds awareness and educates people about the NDWCC and the good works we do for the community,” said Melanie Tetreault, NDWCC Team Leader. “It also offers an excellent breakfast at an affordable price, and it’s all for a great cause.”

The breakfast will take place at the Chief and Petty Officers’ Mess on Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 0630 to 0900.

The national charitable campaign benefits charitable organizations of the United Way Southern Vancouver Island and the 16 charities of Health Partners. This year members will not be permitted to fundraise for charitable organizations outside United Way Southern Vancouver Island or Health Partners. Tetreault said individual donors can still make a personal donation to organizations outside the two leading charities through the NDWCC E-Pledge system, which should be running by early September.

The breakfast is traditionally held in the first week of October, but Tetreault says the kick-off breakfast was moved to an earlier date to capture the brighter days of late summer to encourage greater participation. It may also outperform last year’s fundraising sum of $180,000.

This year’s menu includes pancakes, meat or vegetarian sausage, hash browns, and a selection of coffee, tea, or juice. Dine-in and takeout options are available, and community dress such as cycling clothes are permitted. Speakers slated for the event include Captain (Navy) Jeff Hutchinson, Base Commander, CFB Esquimalt; Mark Beslauer, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Southern Vancouver Island; Moyra Lauziere of Health Partners Canada;  Jackie Carlé, Esquimalt MFRC Executive Director and Jacqueline Zweng, Wounded Warriors Event Coordinator.

Tetreault hopes people will find creative ways to donate. The NDWCC team plans to bring back the Bring Your Dog To Work Day from last year and an Art Silent Auction set for the Base for December.

This year’s campaign will wrap up just before the Holiday Break in December.

Breakfasts can be purchased for $5 with cash, or prepaid e-transfer can be arranged by texting 250-217-9834.