The Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association hosted a pancake breakfast at the CCCIA hall on Highway 72 on Saturday, February 11, 2023, to raise funds for scholarships. On a beautiful sunny day, organizers expected about 100 people would attend.

For a breakfast of fluffy pancakes, syrup, sausage, orange juice and coffee, CCCIA members paid $8 and non-members paid $10 and $4 for children. Firefighters were free. Suzy Schemel said they have a new, smaller grill outside of the hall.

Each table in the hall had a sign advertising the top ten reasons to join the CCIA. They are to inspire, nurture and facilitate the betterment of the CC community, support scholarship opportunities for the Canyon youth, meet your neighbors, join a group and follow your interests, learn new skills or share your skills, gather with like-minded, get individual unique mountain dwellers, rent the community center at a low rate, provide input on community events, marketing exposure for your business and be a part of the fun.

Dressed in a chef’s outfit and hat, Bruce Goodwin on the CCCIA Board said he was cooking the eggs. He is the chief cook and bottle washer.

Goodwin said CCCIA gives out $3,000 in scholarships to students in the area every year to area high school students who attend schools in the area. They must live in the Coal Creek area to receive the scholarship.

Tony Carmeli, who was making pancakes, is in charge of the scholarship committee for the Board. He remembered one scholarship recipient who had memorized the entire Pi. Another went to Red Rocks and worked at a day care. She would always thank him, and he said he guesses he helped one kid.

CCCIA has about three to five scholarship applicants each year, and they are awarded based on their need. Student Elena Ney, one of the servers for the pancake breakfast, said she lives in the mountains and likes it a lot. She attends Ralston Valley schools in Arvada.

Also baking and serving was Norma Cassin. Sitting at the entrance and taking money were Ashley Roberts and Ms. Hamm.

For more information about Coal Creek events go to https://www.coalcreekcanyon.org/.