Montauk Pioneer - August 29, 2008 - Fire Gals Throw A Breakfast

On August 24, the Montauk Fire Department's Women's Auxiliary put on a first rate pancake breakfast that served a few hundred hungry tourists and locals from 8 a.m. until noon. The dining area of the firehouse has been the venue for many a pancake breakfast, but the turn out this year was exceptional. "It truly goes along with the summer spirit of Montauk," voiced a buoyant Mary Cannon, a woman well established in the Auxiliary. "This is the best one yet," she concluded, before hurrying off to assist a table.

The dining room was a galaxy of cheerful faces, quickly moving pots of coffee and attentive service that had me seated and eating inside of ten minutes. I hadn't had a single pancake since that same day last year and nothing had changed- it was perfect.

The proceeds from the breakfast go directly to the Women's Auxiliary who then put 99% of the funds into charitable causes like monetary scholarships for select students in the area, Easter activities for youngsters and most notably, to the Christmas presents of children in needy families. "We choose two families most in need, get the ages of their children and spend the day doing some shopping for their gifts," explained Women's Auxiliary president Lynden Restrepo. Of course, money goes towards the Auxiliary's primary purpose of keeping the firemen well fed in times of crisis. "We keep the sandwiches coming and the coffee brewing when our guys are on a job," said Rae Burgess, a 20-year Auxiliary veteran. Dorothy Malik was beside Burgess and explained that two women per month from the group are assigned to the firehouse to assist in food preparation and general culinary duties surrounding the fire departments schedule of events and any emergencies. The Women's Auxiliary uses only a meager portion of the earnings for themselves, which goes toward the purchase of new uniforms.

While the women waited on tables, members of the volunteer fire department manned the kitchen, turning out flapjacks with swift efficiency. The batter sizzled on the skillet and plates appeared in the window, half-mystified under the sheets of steam coming off the cakes, then they were schlepped away in the grasp of skilled hands.

The Auxiliary, which consists of many magnificent and selfless members, was elated with the day's success, attributing it to large plywood advertisements for the breakfast as key in facilitating such a lucrative morning. An ad was placed on Edgemere Street, across the way from B&B Auto and another, most crucially, was placed on the edge of Main street near the entrance to Montauk, or the floodgates of tourism. A few members bemoaned the Department of Transportation for giving them trouble about the signs, branding them as unsightly. The Women's Auxiliary counters their view by saying that the great benefits of the fundraiser outweigh the presence of the temporary "eyesores." But clashes are to be expected. Few things pass unscathed by controversy in Montauk.

Sharing our breakfast table on Sunday were two young women from Scotland visiting Montauk for the weekend. Searching for breakfast, they noticed a flyer for the pancake breakfast inside, of all places, Anthony's Pancake House. They decided to hold off on the restaurant and instead make the mile trek to the firehouse for the seven dollar a piece alternative. The girls were enthralled by the local camaraderie and the altruistic nature of the Women's Auxiliary. It was great to witness two people from a different country enjoy not only the experience of the beaches and the tourist sector, but to also get a glimpse into the unity of Montauk, the people who live their lives here and pull together willingly for the betterment of their neighbors. The pancake breakfast was not only a success for the patrons in attendance; it was also a victory for the community in achieving the means to lend a hand to those in need.