FOTAS at Applebee’s is More than Breakfast

Sometimes bad breaks are the best indicator of how good things truly are. Here’s how FOTAS’  4^th Annual Applebee’s Benefit Breakfast started out.

The dishwasher had broken down the night before and three sinks of tepid water: one detergent, one disinfectant, one rinse, waited for the volunteer who was to assure clean utensils and plates for all 250 breakfasts we hoped to turn out. 

We knew from experience that Applebee’s could not produce coffee in the volume that our patronage required, but when a well-meaning volunteer said that she had a “big” coffee urn, no one thought to clarify what she meant by “big.”  For a family of four, her urn was big.

We had a new manager running the show who had done exactly one of these events before.  He was congenial as he poured batter on the grill, making up breakfast plates with an easy confidence: scoop of scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, and two generous pancakes.  He even told the volunteer who knew we would get slammed at about 8:45 to relax and enjoy herself, like he had everything under control.

Applebee’s provided the food, facilities, and 2.5 people who worked the restaurant business for a living, and they don’t normally serve breakfast.  Of the 15 FOTAS volunteers who showed up to set up tables, scoop butter, make coffee, pour syrup, bus tables, take tickets, sell tickets, sell hats, shirts and really cool bumper stickers that  read, “My Dog Digs Aiken,” serve hundreds of breakfasts, and wash the dishes, one was a restaurant professional.  Thank God.

The dishwasher repair guy showed up and got the machine working.  The young manager learned to take help where it was offered.  When the crowd arrived, the customers learned to yield to the big picture as they waited, and waited, and waited for what is, in all honesty a mediocre breakfast as breakfasts go, but the genesis for such a grand, special occasion.

We estimated that between 200 and 250 people would come out.  We served 285 breakfasts that morning.  By 10 o’clock we were out of food.  It was fantastic.

We owe a debt of gratitude to every single person who bought our tickets, came and waited to eat, who helped to plan and execute the event, who promoted it as something worth supporting, and to Applebee’s, who have opened their kitchen and their restaurant to us for four years and helped us build a following.

This year, we want to give special recognition to two of our hunt clubs, Aiken Hounds and Why Worry Hounds.  Saturday morning hunts have their own rituals and customs, and these clubs modified theirs to come out in support of the FOTAS breakfast.

The group from Philanthropic Educational Opportunities (P.E.O.) sought us out to reserve their usual long table and they kept their members cycling through all morning.

We mobilized our Aiken community around a cause, made the best use of resources, and addressed the need.  Let’s apply this gift to our County Shelter.

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.  For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on line at  www.fotasaiken.org

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”

For Nov. 7th thru 13th    

Dogs taken in: 71

Cats taken in: 18

Dogs adopted: 16

Cats adopted: 3

Dogs euthanized: 36

Cats euthanized: 8

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

SNOOPY

HEFTY