HAUSER LAKE, Idaho – The 38th Annual Shalena’s Breakfast with Santa is set for this weekend at the Hauser Lake Fire Station. For Shalena’s many loved ones, the occasion is a way to honor her memory while helping families in need.
Shalena would have been 40-years-old this year. She lost her life after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was just two.
“Shalena ended up going to seven different hospitals,” her father Capt. Gary Mobbs said. “Through all of our medical bills and travels and stuff, my brother and sister-in-law and some guys from the fire department saw the stress and financial burden and put on pancake feed for us.”
Mobbs says his family was so grateful for the love and support. After losing their precious baby, they decided to make the pancake feed an annual event to try to help others.
“(We thought) what a great idea this would be to start a tradition to help a child who has cancer,” Mobbs said. “We went from this pancake feed to this ginormous breakfast we put on now.”
Hundreds turn out for the yearly fundraiser, and each time, a different family is gifted the proceeds. For 2024, it is the family of a little boy named Lane from Spirit Lake. Mobbs says Lane is battling cancer.
“Unfortunatley, he’s battling leukemia,” he said. “That’s who we are sponsoring this year.”
After the food costs are covered, 100% of proceeds will go to Lane and his family. Shalena’s sister Tara says the breakfast is always a highlight of their holiday season.
“I love this,” Tara said. “This is the even that fills my cup.
In addition to pancakes, eggs, biscuits and gravy, there are gift baskets up for grabs and raffle prizes. The event is Sunday December 8th at the Hauser Lake Fire Station from 7 AM – 1 PM. Suggested donation is $3 per person or $15 for a family, but attendees are certainly welcome to donate more.
To learn more about previous events and to see photos, visit: https://hauserfire.org/tag/breakfast-with-santa/
