Cooperation between Stanford Park Hotel, the Junior League of the Mid-Peninsula, and the Menlo Park Firefighters Association brings about a successful annual Pancake Breakfast raising on average $8000 to benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.  The benefit fundraiser would not be a success without the planning and organization, time, commitment and donations given from the people of these three organizations.

The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation is a non-profit organization built to enhance the quality of life for burn survivors and promote burn prevention.  The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (founded in 1971 and funded entirely by private sources) was inspired by Alisa Ann, an eight-year-old who was fatally burned in a common backyard barbecue accident.   There are more than 1.25 million burn injuries each year in the United States.  In California alone, 10,000 people a year are burned severely to require medical attention; of that number, nearly half are children.  The Burn Foundation works in partnership with firefighters, educators, and burn care professionals to develop innovative programs and services. 

Champ Camp–a week-long residential summer camp experience that provides a supportive atmosphere for children who have suffered from severe burns–is just one of the programs that the Foundation sponsors.  During Champ Camp, children have the opportunity to meet others who have gone through a similar experience and realize they are not alone in their struggle and recovery.  Champ Camp provides a safe place to build the skills necessary to cope in a society that highly values physical appearance.  For additional information on this privately funded organization, go to: http://www.aarbf.org/index.html.

The Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation spotlights a person's "inner beauty" not the burn scars.  The Pancake Breakfast is the avenue for the Menlo Park community to support our local heroes and spread that inner beauty to our neighbors. 

The breakfast is hosted in conjunction with the Menlo Park Fire District Open House at Menlo Park Fire Districts Headquarters, 300 Middlefield Road.  This event kicks off National Fire Prevention Week. 

The team from Stanford Park Hotel, Junior League and the Menlo Park Firefighters Association has a great time serving pancakes, sausage, fruit, coffee cake, coffee and juice to more than 1000 hungry people visiting the firehouse.  Families are able to visit with firefighters, sit on a fire engine, get pictures in firefighter gear and have fun at their local firehouse. 

The 8th Annual Pancake Breakfast in October 2008 raised $9600 for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation making it one of our most successful years yet.        

We will see you at 300 Middlefield Rd. in Menlo Park on October 3, 2009 for the 9th Annual Pancake Breakfast.