COVID-19 vaccination cards were checked before diners were allowed inside the American Legion Merle Guild Post 208 pancake breakfast fundraiser Sunday in Arlington Heights.
“We’re following the mandate of Cook County…we have signs all up, we have a person checking people at the door,” said Jerry Ziobrowski, commander of Post 208.”Our policy here is no card, no service.”
Numerous diners arrived once doors opened at 9 a.m. for entry into Veterans Hall. Some patrons did not have their vaccine cards in their wallets or stored on their cell phones as photo proof to show. The pancake breakfast was sponsored by the Sons of the American Legion and held at Post 208.
“They’ve been friendly, if they don’t have it, they go home and they come back and bring it,” U.S. Army veteran Dale Berg said of the people who didn’t have proof of vaccination. Berg was assigned the task of checking vaccine cards at the front door.
“It’s good,” Berg said, of overall cooperation. “People come in, enjoy it, it’s a good breakfast, all you can eat.”
On the menu was a breakfast buffet offering many choices. In addition to bringing COVID-19 vaccination cards, diners were asked to bring their appetites.
Gary Crigler, of Arlington Heights, commander of the Sons of the American Legion, stirred a large bowl of batter in the kitchen. Crigler estimated the breakfast shopping list to feed many included 30 pounds of pancake mix, multiple pounds of bacon, 40 pounds of sausage, 50 pounds of hash browns, at least four gallons of orange juice and five pounds of butter.
“It’s good food, good people and it (proceeds) goes towards all veterans organizations (and veterans programs),” he said.
Crigler said the expectation was to raise $600 to $1,000.
Outside, in the back of the building was Army veteran Monty Montemayor, of Wheeling, who stood inside a tent canopy frying up hash browns in cold outdoor temperatures.
The breakfast strives “to bring people together,” Montemayor said.
Tony Kochanny, Georgia Meneou, Mercedes Hernandez and Boguslawa Curylo, all of Arlington Heights, dined at the same table.
“I think it’s fabulous, I wish more people would participate,” Kochanny, who served in the Navy from 1963 to 1969, said about the breakfast.
Candy Lencioni, of Des Plaines, said she has been part of the ladies auxiliary for several years and volunteered Sunday morning to serve the buffet line.
“I’ve heard people say that they haven’t been able to get together with their neighbors, but they’ve come here and, you know, they spend quite a bit of time, you know, just visiting with each other and sharing that meal together,” Lencioni said.
“We have one gentleman that comes every time, and he’s here for quite a long time, eating, because it’s as much as you can eat, and he’ll go back for seconds and thirds,” Lencioni added. “So, it’s important to some people to have this.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer.
