Melting Moments reaches 25th year; pancakes event successful

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Pancakes and ice cream were the main attractions Sunday at Patriarche Park, 1100 Alton Road, where the combined attendance at two community events reached the thousands.

Community members ate breakfast from 8 a.m to noon at Pancakes in the Park, a fundraising event hosted by the East Lansing Rotary Club, and later had the opportunity for dessert from 3-6 p.m. at the 25th anniversary celebration for Melting Moments, 313 E. Grand River Ave., an ice cream restaurant in East Lansing.

East Lansing City Councilmember Nathan Triplett said this year’s Pancakes in the Park, which attracted record crowds of more than 1,000 guests, was a great opportunity to bring people together.

“It’s a great place for people from all over the community to come together and enjoy each other’s company,” he said. “I’m thrilled so many people turned out and that the weather held out.”

East Lansing resident Michael Clark said Pancakes in the Park has been a family tradition for decades.

“You get to see all your friends, and the food is great,” he said.

“My daughters (can) remember this since they were little girls.”

Proceeds from the event’s $5-suggested donation will be redistributed to charitable organizations through the club.

Holt resident Jean Morciglio said the event’s underlying message was important to her.

“I really like the Rotary Club (because it) is all about service,” she said. “It’s really an opportunity to give back to the community.”

The Melting Moments event, which attracted more than 600 community members, featured clowns, face painting, music and free ice cream for all attendees.

“It’s a milestone for us, and we wanted to thank the community for supporting us for so many years,” Melting Moments owner Mark Geovjian said.

For every person in attendance, Melting Moments donated $1 to the Melting Moments Capital Region Community Foundation, a self-directed organization that distributes its proceeds locally.

Melting Moments makes all of its own ice cream at a separate location in Lansing and carries out operations at area events and festivals, such as the Lansing JazzFest and Old Town BluesFest.

The ice cream also is available at all MSU sporting events.

“Ice cream is fun,” Geovjian said. “It’s not like selling a refrigerator. It’s also fun to be creative with it.”

Jim Little, who chaired the Pancakes in the Park event, said in addition to the community aspect, the day’s events also were a chance for people to meet their city’s officials in person.

“For $5 a piece, you get a great breakfast and a chance to meet a lot of people,” he said. “East Lansing is a pretty small town, and it is a great opportunity for people to meet people and see people that they know.”

Staff writer Marissa Cumbers contributed to this report.

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