On December 15, 2013, Padua Academy’s Ronald’s Rescue team held their third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser. Ronald’s Rescue is one of Padua’s largest and most successful service groups. The group strives to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware through fundraising and planning many events throughout the year. This year’s student leaders are Sarah Cushing (’14), Courtney Blair (’14), Emily Hayes (’15), and Francesca Marinaro (’16). The pancake breakfast was especially meaningful to Sarah this year as she is a senior and she got to see the planning aspect from a whole new angle. She said that this was her favorite part about the event, and she “really loved to be able to have a say in the new changes and improvements – like this year’s bacon bar.”

During the week leading up to the pancake breakfast, the team sold raffle tickets and held a dress down in efforts to raise money. At the breakfast, a plate of pancakes could be purchased for five dollars and a side of bacon was available at the bacon bar for two dollars. Guests were dressed in their Christmas attire and spent the morning spreading their holiday cheer. The members of the Ronald’s Rescue club were the waitresses for the day, and served the food with smiles. As a result of this fundraiser, the Padua community raised $2700 for the families at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.