BUCKLAND — After a seven-year hiatus, the Maple Syrup Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Buckland Public Library will return on Saturday, March 21.
Lindsay Allen, a member of the Friends of the Buckland Public Library, which is organizing the event, said the fundraiser was held annually until it was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The breakfast will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Mary Lyon Church, located at 17 Upper St.
“It was a long-running tradition, since well before COVID, but there’s been a seven-year hiatus,” Allen explained. “We’re excited to bring it back.”
The Friends will serve pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage (a vegan option is available) and hot beverages, along with locally produced maple syrup. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 12, and children under 6 years old can eat for free. The breakfast will also include musical accompaniment from fiddler Steve Howland.
Allen said the Friends group hopes to raise $2,000 through various fundraising efforts to expand the library’s programming and offset some general budget expenses. The library wants to add more classes and author talks to its calendar.
“We’re trying to expand programming and look for ways to bring more people in to use the library,” Allen said. “It’s just a special place. It’s rare that places are free and open to the public.”
Building community and making the library a part of it are big parts of the Friends’ goals. Allen said that while brainstorming fundraising ideas, they were looking for ways to not only raise money for the Buckland Public Library, but also to bring people together. Given how much community members had enjoyed the pancake breakfast in the past, it seemed like the time had come to bring it back.
“The Friends of the Library are trying to come up with different ways to raise money and do community-building,” Allen said. “It feels like this checks off both those boxes.”
Allen hopes people will enjoy a meal with their neighbors while supporting the library.
“It’s hard to be a library in 2026,” Allen said.