Our pancake breakfast is one of our favorite traditions because it brings the whole Donegal community together," said Erin Rupp, president of the Donegal baseball booster club. "When people come out, they're not just getting a great breakfast - they're being served by our JV and varsity players themselves. The boys are greeting guests, cooking, serving and thanking people for their support, which really shows the pride and work ethic behind our program."

The Donegal baseball team will host its community breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Mount Joy Mennonite Church, 320 Musser Road, Mount Joy. The menu will feature pancakes, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, assorted doughnuts, fruit and beverages.

"It's a fun, family-friendly morning, a great way to connect with the team and a chance to directly support our players and the season ahead," Rupp said. "We're especially excited this year to welcome Cylo from the Lancaster Stormers, which makes it even more fun for the kids and baseball fans. Whether you're a longtime supporter or brand new to Donegal baseball, we'd love for you to come out, enjoy breakfast and be part of it."

Proceeds from the breakfast will be used to purchase new practice gear for both the JV and varsity teams;support field maintenance; and fund special team events, including attending Stormers games at Penn Medicine Park.

"Additionally, this helps with our Senior Day recognition, senior gifts and our end-of-the-season banquet," Rupp said.

Last year's breakfast exceeded the group's expectations, she noted.

"We served over 400 people, sold close to $1,000 in merchandise and received almost $700 in donations," Rupp remarked. "We are hoping to break our record from last year and sell over 400 tickets."

The past season was a strong one for Donegal baseball, said coach Adam Frey.

"We repeated as Section 3 champions, made it to the league semifinals and qualified for districts," he commented. "The kids worked hard all season, and it was good to see that pay off."

The team's goals for this year are simple.

"We want to win Section 3 again and get over the hump by qualifying for the state playoffs," Frey said, noting that the team has some challenges to overcome. "We'll face a lot of strong competition. Over half of our schedule is against teams that made the playoffs last year, so we know every game will be a challenge."

Frey, who is the head varsity coach, is joined in the program by assistant varsity coaches Scott Niehaus and AJ Small.

Rupp acknowledged the people who help to make the pancake breakfast possible.

"This event truly wouldn't be possible without community support," she said. "We're grateful to The Egg Man, Hershey Ag and Kreider Farms for donating the food and to Mount Joy Mennonite Church for generously providing the space. It's a great example of how this community comes together to support our student-athletes."

Tickets for the breakfast will be sold at the door or may be purchased ahead of time by contacting the club through the "Donegal Indians Baseball Boosters" Facebook page or reaching out to one of the prospective players who are selling tickets.