SCIPIO - The Scipio Fire Department held their annual Mother's Day all you can eat pancake breakfast, a tradition for the mothers of Scipio for more than 20 years.

More than 300 families filled up on pancakes, scrambled eggs, french toast and sausage prepared by members of the fire department.

"We really treat the mothers on their special day," said fire chief Wayne Pettit. "When they arrive, we seat them and wait on them hand and foot. We try to make it like a dining experience, with waiters and everything."

The pancake breakfast is one of the many fund-raising events put on by the department every year. All proceeds will go back into the department for equipment upgrades.

"We try to raise most of our own money," Pettit said. "Most of our equipment and buildings were bought with money that we raised ourselves. We try not to use government funding unless we have to."

The pancake breakfast has become a town tradition for the residents of Scipio.

"When the kids were younger, they would make me breakfast in bed," said Michelle Dean, who attended the breakfast with her husband and five children. "But for the last few years we have been coming here for breakfast. We will attend afternoon Mass, and then go for dinner to the Springside Inn. It has kind of became a tradition for our family."

For a Mother's Day lunch, a joint effort between the town of Sennett and the Sennett Fire Department hosted their second annual chicken barbecue.

Within an hour and 15 minutes they had sold 300 chicken dinners that included cole slaw and baked beans. "We sold out very quickly," said Dave Sikora, Sennett town supervisor. "Next year we will have to order at least 500 chicken halves, so we don't sell out so quickly."

Sikora, along with Sue Foster, Sylvia Wilson, Bill Rizzieri and several volunteer firemen worked for several weeks in planning the day's event. Proceeds will be donated to the Sennett-Brutus Food Pantry.

"For as long as I am the town supervisor we will continue to host this event," Sikora said. "I would like to see it become a tradition here in Sennett. The money raised stays here in Sennett and will be used to help those less fortunate than we are. This could not happen without the support of all who attended today's event. Because of them we have raised about $1,000, to help our neighbors who need it."

For the Komariski family it was a chance to spend the afternoon together with their in-laws, Erwin and Gwenn Rice.

"I have nine children and they are all so wonderful," Betty Komariski said. "I am awfully grateful for the family that I have got. My family is very good to me, and they are an important part of my life."