Breakfast with the Easter Bunny raises funds for public school classroom supplies

Shepherdstown Centennial Lions Club member Barbara Burger, right, dishes out bacon to attendees of the Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in Blue Moon Cafe on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston
SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Easter Bunny was back in full form on Saturday morning, as he visited with local children on Blue Moon Cafe’s back porch, during the Shepherdstown Centennial Lions Club’s annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny.
Once attendees had finished taking photos with the Easter Bunny, the headed inside of the cafe for a hot breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage. As in years past, the food was paid for by the Shepherdstown Centennial Lions Club, while the space and cooking was provided free-of-charge by the Blue Moon Cafe, according to club president Cheryl Roberts.
“This event is five or six years old,” Roberts said, noting it was started after the club held its first Breakfast With Santa around that time. “Our club is constantly looking for something to do for the community, involving both parents and kids.
“When we have these kinds of fundraisers, the proceeds are used to do good in the community,” Roberts said. “With today’s fundraiser, the proceeds will be used to pay for school supplies for the coming school year. It’s on the burden of the teacher to provide supplies for their classrooms. We have a teacher in our club, who is going to lead that effort.”
According to Roberts, the club member is a teacher at one of Berkeley County’s public schools, so the breakfast’s proceeds will be divided up between schools in need, throughout both Berkeley County and Jefferson County.

Braylynn Howard poses with the Easter Bunny on the back porch of the Blue Moon Cafe last Easter. Tabitha Johnston
“If we don’t raise enough at this event, we’ll add proceeds to it, from one of our other fundraisers,” Roberts said. “We’re probably not going to be able to serve every school, but there are some underserved schools that we’re trying to reach out to.”
The idea for this fundraiser was developed last summer, when the club helped provide manpower at a teacher school supply fundraiser in Evolve.
“It wasn’t our idea, but after that event, the one teacher in our group told us, ‘It’s not just a problem in Shepherdstown — it’s a problem in my area, too!’ So we said, ‘Let’s do that as a fundraiser goal,'” Roberts said.
In between serving up bacon to breakfast attendees, club member Barbara Burger expressed her delight in the fundraiser’s successful turnout.
“The turnout’s been great, this morning!” Burger said.
Fellow club member Tammy Clay agreed with Burger, as she manned the beverage station.
“It’s busier this year than last year,” Clay said, mentioning the last Breakfast With Santa had an ever larger turnout, likely due to it being held on the same day as the Shepherdstown Christmas Parade. “One reason why I came to help today, is because I think our fundraising goal is so important. Teachers don’t make a lot of money, compared to some other careers. So it’s important for us to help with raising funds to cover the cost of classroom supplies.”
For more information, visit the Shepherdstown Centennial Lions Club Facebook page or email shephlionsclub@gmail.com.
- Braylynn Howard poses with the Easter Bunny on the back porch of the Blue Moon Cafe last Easter. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Centennial Lions Club member Barbara Burger, right, dishes out bacon to attendees of the Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in Blue Moon Cafe on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston