Volunteer Tab Bailey, United Local School District’s school resource officer, makes a ham and cheese omelet for a customer at the 2025 United Community Scholarship Foundation Breakfast “Egg”stravaganza, which is held annually to raise money for scholarship recipients. This year’s event will once again be held at Winona Friends Church on Saturday, March 7. (File photo/Stephanie Ujhelyi)

HANOVERTON — Despite the increasing cost of fixings for the United Community Foundation’s annual breakfast, the price will be remain the same when the non-profit hosts its annual “Egg”stravagaza on Saturday, March 7.

Held from 7 a.m. to noon at. Winona Friends Church for the second straight year, volunteers and event committee members have flipped omelets and crepes for more than 40 years –decades to raise more than $450,000, which then is invested and given out in scholarships to deserving United Local seniors.

Last year, the UCSF served more than 600 diners during the all-you-can-eat breakfast, which also includes donuts and beverages such as coffee, tea and juice.

According to Connie Young, a UCSF board member who also handles event publicity, this event is a major fundraiser for the effort.

The non-profit initially had to move the breakfast’s location due to the construction project on site at the United Local campus, where it had usually held the event.

More than a hundred volunteers come together to put on the event, which was founded in 1984 by then-United Superintendent Gary Meier, Dr. Bruce Marhefka DVM, and Timothy Mudric as a way to financially assist United Local High School seniors who wanted to attend college.

After a few years of holding a steak dinner benefit for the cause, the non-profit switched directions, holding a traditional-style breakfast with items like scrambled eggs and the sides before coming up with this current menu that makes their event stand out.

The group has become renowned for the breakfast and its made-to-order approach for diners.

Generally all costs to put on the meal are covered by sponsors, which have included local grocery stores and restaurants in the past.

The majority of items are donated, which allows them a larger profit as they don’t have to increase prices if the economy is suffering through an egg price increase, for example.

Through the in-kind donations as well as cash donations from various local businesses like insurance companies and hardware stores, the UCSF was able to award 24 scholarships last year, totaling $30,000 last year.

School board president RuthAnn Rinto is a big supporter of the breakfast, which said it is crucial to making sure that United Local students cannot only get postsecondary education at colleges and university but technical schools.

“It is very important for us to recognize there are multiple career paths,” she said, adding pride in United Local’s robust career tech programs. “United Local is a well-kept secret.”

Every year, the district’s elementary school students provide the placemats that sit underneath the place settings on the event’s tabletops.

Presale tickets are not available. Individuals wanting to attend the event and support the effort pay admission costs of $10 for ages 13 and up and $6 for ages 4-12 while children younger than age 4 eat free, according to Young, who attributes the event’s longevity and success to a generous community.

The Winona Friends Church is located at 4615 Whinnery Road in Salem.