This Saturday, the annual Kalona Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Day fundraiser returns. In its 41st year, the Department serves the southeast Iowa community a menu of all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage and eggs, dine-in or carry out at the Fire Station, 310 5th Street, from 6 a.m. to 1p.m. Jerry Zahradnek, who has been with the Department for 30 years, the last five as Fire Chief, says their goal is to serve 3,000 people each year, or about one person every seven seconds. Zahradnek spoke with KCII News about the work that goes into the event, what the proceeds have been used for in the past, will be used for this year and the community support, “We have a good group of firefighters, and everybody has their job. We couldn’t do it without our significant others. We start recruiting our kids when they are five or six. It takes a pretty large crew to keep things moving. We thank our retired firefighters who always come back for this day. This week has been clean-up and setup, by the time we get it done, everyone always jokes it takes three or four days to get it set up, but it takes about two hours to tear it down and put it away. In the past, we try to pick something in our budget that’s a big ticket item. We’re replacing three or four sets of gear a year. Last year’s proceeds went towards our new truck. This year we’re purchasing a new set of battery operated jaws of life, cutter and spreader, and we’ve ordered a new airbag system. We can’t thank our community enough. They always rally behind this one day!”

For more about the event from Zahradnek, listen to the April 1st edition of the In Touch with Southeast Iowa Program, free, online at KCIIradio.com.