It was a sizzling success for the Kiwanis Tea Room’s first Sunday breakfast of the year with a record number of people showing up to dine.
“It was a great turnout. We served 110 breakfasts despite the rainy windy weather. That is a record for the first Sunday of a new year and is very close to the most number of breakfasts served in one morning,” said Janet Morningstar, vice-president of the Kiwanis Pavilion Foundation.
Sunday morning the crowds braved the blustery winds and snuggled into the tea room on Willows Beach to eat their breakfast with an expansive view of the King Tide crashing on the shore.
“We had a line up before 8:30 a.m. It has been an unbelievable first day of the season, and we are hoping that will continue,” said Coun. Hazel Braithwaite who was volunteering in the kitchen.
While they don’t take reservations, the turnaround time is quick at about 30 minutes so Morningstar says “it is worth the wait.”
The tea room restaurant, set in a beautiful location overlooking the ocean at Willows Beach, serves their fundraising breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon every Sunday from Jan. 7 to April 15.
With breakfasts cooked and served by volunteers, and eggs donated by Galey Morning Fresh Eggs, Oak Bay Kiwanis sends all proceeds from the meals to Kiwanis Pavilion – a 122-bed care facility for people living and dying with frailty and dementia. The pavilion is owned and operated by the Oak Bay Kiwanis Health Care Society.
The full breakfast is $10 with a range of choices including pancakes, French toast, eggs (scrambled, poached or fried), ham or bacon, hash browns and toast. All breakfasts include juice, coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Winter breakfasts are a main fundraiser for the pavilion, raising about $10,000 a year.
“It was an amazing morning; great customers; and wonderful volunteers who really enjoy preparing, serving, clearing plates and working as a team,” said Morningstar.
keri.coles@oakbaynews.com
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keri.coles@oakbaynews.com