Saturday, June 7, 2025, will remain etched in my memory as one of those simple yet deeply meaningful moments. Early that morning, the entrance to the Park Pavilion in Orem City came alive with a warm and vibrant atmosphere. The occasion? The now-traditional pancake breakfast was organized by the Rotary Club of Orem-Lindon. But beyond the golden pancakes, milk, and other treats, what we experienced was a true lesson in life, solidarity, and shared joy.

Rotarians and Rotaractors Host Pancake Breakfast

Alongside my fellow Rotaract friends, Roland Kabongo, Totally Mashombo, Natalia Figueroa, Janessa Purcell, McKay Jones and many others, I had the privilege of participating in this service-filled morning. Together, in a beautifully spontaneous coordination, we prepared and served dozens of plates filled with pancakes, syrup, milk, orange juice, and smiles. Families arrived one after another, some with wide-eyed children, others with touched grandparents, and all left with lighter hearts.

Rotaractors Serve Pancake Breakfast Orem City Families

This wasn’t just a culinary event. It was a living space where people of all ages and backgrounds, friends and strangers alike, crossed paths in a spirit of kindness. Under tents set up the day before, around carefully arranged tables, people talked, laughed, and listened to each other. There was something profoundly human in that simplicity.

Moments like these remind us why we are committed to Rotary and Rotaract. Because giving your time isn’t just about fulfilling a duty, it’s about letting yourself be transformed. We thought we were coming to help, but in the end, we left with nourished hearts. Serving a pancake becomes an act filled with warmth, care, and attentiveness. A helping hand, a sincere “hello,” a shared laugh, these small things are what make up the big picture.

That morning, the values of Rotary came to life before our eyes: service, friendship, openness, honesty, commitment. Everything we stand for on a daily basis was lived out together, in the flour, the spilled milk, and the bursts of laughter. And somewhere in that joyful buzz, new bonds were formed, callings may have been sparked, and our collective flame was reignited.

Orem City Families and Community Members

What made this morning truly special weren’t just the pancakes or the sunshine, it was the people.

Rotarian Clark Merkley, Rotaractor Janessa-Michelle Purcell with Rotarian Cathy Ambrose at the Breakfast

Lynn Hillstead stood right next to me with this gentle patience that instantly made me feel at ease. He didn’t just explain how to make pancake batter, he invited me into the process, like a friend. “A little more milk... just enough flour to make it smooth,” he’d say with a smile. I wasn’t just learning a recipe, I was learning how to do something meaningful with care.

Rotarian Jim Lauret ( R ) with Rotaractor Roland Cabongo Prepare Pancakes

And Jim Lauret, what a calm and kind presence. He flipped pancakes like a pro, but what I really noticed was the way he paid attention to everything: making sure they were just right, helping others without being asked, and doing it all with this quiet joy. Just watching him made you want to do your best too.

Rotaractors and Rotarians in Action By Serving Breakfast 

Behind it all, quietly making everything fall into place, was Dean Robinson. I don’t think I saw him sit down once. He made sure the tents were up, the tables were where they needed to be, supplies ready, trash bins in place, everything we needed to make the day run smoothly. He didn’t need the spotlight, he just made sure things worked, and that made all the difference.

Debby Lauret and Dean Robinson at Pancake Breakfast

Debby Lauret brought the energy. Always in motion, always smiling. She checked in on everyone, made sure we had what we needed, lifted spirits, and somehow kept the whole team going without ever looking tired. Her laugh was the kind that made you feel like you were exactly where you needed to be.

Dorman J. Smith And Silversmith Music Group Performance

And then came the music, Dorman J. Smith and his group filled the park with the kind of live music that seeps into your soul without you realizing it. It wasn’t loud or showy. It was warm, soft, and full of heart. It made people linger a little longer at their tables, sway a little while waiting in line, and smile for no reason. That music held the whole morning together.

Rotarians Prepare Fruits and Syrup for Pancakes

There were so many others, friends who jumped in to help without being asked, kids who handed out napkins like it was the most important job in the world, families who came to eat and stayed to chat. Strangers became neighbors in the span of a pancake.

                                Louyoko Nianza and Lynn Hillstead Are Ready For Service                                                            Louyoko Nianza  (L) Mentors Carter Marshall

And you know, at the start of the day, I thought we were just coming to help out. But by the end, I realized we had all received something. A full heart. A renewed sense of connection. A reminder of how good it feels to simply be together and do something kind, no matter how small.

Rotarians Jane Mack and Sheryl Merkley Are In Charge of Collecting Funds 

It wasn’t just breakfast. It was a reminder that people, when they show up with love, can create something beautiful. Something real.

 

I left that day with a strengthened conviction: every gesture matters. And it is together, through these small acts of generosity, that we build a more human world.

                 By Louyoko Nianza Christ Hermes, Student In political Science and Rotaract based in Utah /USA

                About the author: Louyoko Nianza, hailing from the Congo, is currently pursuing his education in political science in the United States. With a deep commitment to fostering transformative leadership, Louyoko is the proponent of "smart-africanism," a concept he envisions as the cornerstone for a new era of true leadership in Africa. His academic pursuits and innovative ideas aim to inspire and cultivate a generation of leaders dedicated to the advancement and prosperity of the African continent. Louyoko Nianza is a Visionary Rotaractor.

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STUDENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

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25-06-09-Natalia-Figueroa-My Community ServiceNatalia Figueroa Reflective Essay – Rotary Club of Orem-Lindon Pancake Feast

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