MARION - Plenty of volunteers were on hand to assist members of Marion Kiwanis Club during its fall Pancake Day fundraiser Oct. 31 at Marion Knights of Columbus Hall.

Volunteers from K-Kids Club of Lincoln Elementary School in Marion included Kaci Roethler, Christian Gibbs, Braedy Hall, Samuel Swinford, Tyler Baldi, Zak Overmyer, Alec Binkley and Tylir Buie.

Circle K members from Southern Illinois University Carbondale also helped out. They included Crystal Troll, Kristen Hafner, Alli Arvanis, Ashley Hook, Emily Romanowski, Megan Minnis, Jamie Ritcheson and Michael Benson.

The event raised funds which the club uses to support a number of projects, including the following:

 Carnegie Library Children's Department

 Court Appointed Special Advocates (gold sponsor)

 Salvation Army Project Angel Tree program

 Marion Youth Baseball and Softball

 Marion Soccer Association

 Marion Junior High School citizenship awards program

 Four-year $4,000 scholarship to Marion High School students

 Miss Southern Illinois Scholarship Pageant

 I-I District Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation

 Illinois-Iowa District Key Club outreach program (high school youth)

 SIU Circle K student organization

 Kiwanis International Foundation children's programs

 K-Kids program at Lincoln School in Marion

 Williamson County Adopt-A-Highway program (Kiwanis Club has adopted Wildcat Drive in Marion)

 Sponsorship of Children's Outstanding Volunteer Award, which annually recognizes individuals who provide significant volunteer service in support of children in the area