Troop 160 Lexington

Several people have asked me about the impact of the cancellation of Patriots’ Day outdoor events on our breakfast. I will tell you what I told them.

I have always said that the breakfast means much more than just money to the troop. It is a connection with the town. It is a chance for our friends and neighbors to come down to see us and have breakfast with us each year. We found out in 2000 when we had to serve on Saturday what we learned again today—we really like being part of the larger celebration of a unique event in the history of our nation, but we don’t need another event to bring in a crowd. We can, in fact, be the event.

As a selectman, I agree 100 percent with the decision to cancel. I know it was a tough one for the Town Manager and the Celebrations Committee to make, but given the weather and the risk to participants and spectators, they were correct. Moreover, the early notice gave us a chance to do some contingency planning of our own and that planning has pointed the way toward a better way to do things. Moreover, some of the infrastructure improvements the coordinators made this year—like the increased number of Cambro beverage containers and the pancake storage container—were keys to our being able to serve breakfast to a crowd today which we simply couldn’t predict.

We probably served a shade under 900 paying customers on Patriots’ Day. But they were customers who came down to see us just because they wanted to see us. Not the re-enactment. Not the parade. A soldier from His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot dropped $100 on the table to pay for his breakfast. He used to be the SPL of Troop 160. A Lexington police officer paid even more than that. Troop 119 supported us. A Daisy Girl Scout troop stopped by. The Town Celebrations Committee took over a whole table. Three Selectmen were there. Many people said “Keep the change” to the two JASMs handling the money.

We will have to tighten our budget belt a bit this year. Maybe we’ll defer the purchase of some tents and we’ll take one last look at the old stoves before we buy new ones. We’ll try to take better care of our equipment. We made enough, however, to be able to continue to support our level of camperships and other financial aid we offer. But what we got today was worth more than money. Our friends and neighbors supported us and with fewer customers this year, we had time to talk to many of them.

During the gas incident a couple of Thanksgivings ago, a Keyspan worker impressed by the help they got from the citizens of Lexington, asked me if I understood that I was living in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting. Well, yes, I did, and after today I hope you do, too.

The Pancake Breakfast coordinators did a superb job this year as did all the Scouts and parents who helped. It was, in fact, a very good year. Thank you to all.

-Hank Manz