The Lawn was transformed into a rare scene Saturday morning. Students and visitors who stumbled upon "Pancakes for Parkinson's" unaware may have felt like they were in a dream-like state, where the situation is recognizable, just somehow tweaked a bit.
After all, last Saturday morning the Lawn was still the Lawn. Homer was still perched on the Lawn's south end, and the Rotunda still stood proudly in all its historical fame. Faces were the familiar ones of University students and Charlottesville community members.
But for the first time, the Lawn was serving free breakfast, complete with pancakes and orange juice. It was decorated in a Michael J. Fox theme, highlighting his greatest entertainment hits, and some of those familiar student faces were decked in sandwich boards and costumes. The Lawn was the location of a collaborative effort to raise money for research to fight Parkinson's disease.
Third-year College student Mary McNaught was at the heart of the event. She came up with the idea as a high school student in response to the University admissions essay question, "What's your favorite word and why?"
McNaught chose "pancakes."
She explained in her essay how pancakes were an integral part of her childhood. "They are soul food," she said.
She remembers making them with her dad when she couldn't even see over the kitchen counter. In her essay, she also described how a particular dog helped her conquer her fear of canines -- he was named Pancake.
But McNaught did not just describe her favorite word. She made a significant pact with the University and with Charlottesville community members that if she were admitted, she would host a pancake event on the Lawn for the entire Charlottesville community.
It was a lofty promise, but McNaught proved Saturday that she was a woman of her word.
Fortunately, the predicted 100 percent chance of precipitation did not hold true on Saturday. Instead, the day -- like the event -- turned out perfectly. The dark clouds created a cozy environment, and cool winds made one seek the comforts derived from soft syrup-soaked pancakes.
"The chill and the wind are perfect because everyone needs something warm to put in their tummies," fourth-year College student Allison Mui said.
The pancakes were served on the South Lawn near Homer, where volunteers poured the batter and flipped all morning. The festivities continued up the Lawn where several Lawn rooms were decorated for the event.
Mui, for example, opened up her Lawn room to host the "Spin City" diner, in which a television set played episodes of "Spin City." The decorations poured into the Lawn in front of her room, where complimentary O.J. was served.
Those who visited the event were not shy in helping themselves to the free food, but they were also quick to donate. Interspersed throughout the festivities were students walking around with huge sandwiched boards, which were elaborately decorated in the Michael J. Fox theme. They held decorated buckets, and students, alumni and community members were urged to donate money for Parkinson's research. It truly was what McNaught desired -- "a sense of community for an amazing cause."
And the community of familiar faces present on Saturday, both those attending and organizing the event, held nothing back.
Third-year Commerce student David Clark knew McNaught through the University Guide Service and agreed to help out.
"She had this idea and was very passionate about it," Clark said. "I was like, 'Let me help, I just want to get involved.'"
Get involved he did. Clark sported a white laboratory coat, a white wig and lab goggles in an attempt to replicate Doc Brown from "Back to the Future." He also was involved in the financial aspect of the event.
Clark described himself as, "the typical Comm School kid dealing with the money." He dealt with the account set up through Alumni Hall and helped keep the balance.
"Every dime is going to Parkinson's research," McNaught said. "The coolest thing is everything's been donated. The pancake batter is coming from the Tavern; Wal-Mart gave $100 for art supplies; Arts and Science Council gave a $1,000 co-sponsorship grant; Second-year Council gave 400 Frisbees and an orange juice stand; and the University's Dining Services gave syrup and butter."
All Saturday a team of volunteers at Alumni Hall counted up the buckets that had been filled with donations. McNaught was adamant about getting the donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research as soon as possible because she strongly believes that research can significantly help make progress to lessen the effects of Parkinson's disease, if not cure it.
McNaught was inspired by her personal experience with the disease. Her mother's best friend from college, who she affectionately refers to as "Aunt Holly," was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Since starting this charity effort, McNaught has realized just how many other people Parkinson's has personally impacted.
"They come up to me and are like, 'I'm really glad you're doing this. My aunt had it ... a teacher of mine had it ... so many personal connections," she said.
Before the event had even begun on Saturday, $1,000 had already been donated. By the end of the day, Pancakes for Parkinson's collected $5,000.
"I'm really excited, for our first year in just three hours, to raise $5,000 is just really exciting," McNaught said.
McNaught has already taken significant efforts to make this an annual event so that Pancakes for Parkinson's will continue even after McNaught and the group she rallied together for the inaugural pancake feast graduate.
McNaught hopes Pancakes for Parkinson's will become one of the Lawn's many traditions. She looks forward to a day when students will no longer question why free pancakes are being served on the Lawn, or why their buddy is dressed up like Doc Brown.
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