Ferndale Teen Makes Pancakes for Peace
(Proxmire, 5/6/2011)
Jacob Knittel is on his way! The 13 year old (who turns 14 June 1st) has already traveled the world in search of peace. And on Saturday, May 7, 2011 he will be the chef at Lola’s Salon for a Pancakes for Peace breakfast.
The young adventurer will serve his famous homemade pancakes for $1 each. The money he earns will enable him to continue taking part in Children’s International Summer Village program, which teaches the young people of diversity and peace by sending them to other countries to spend time with others. While overseas youngsters like Knittel build relationships and learn how people all around the world have the same fundamental needs and desires.
The program began in 1946 as humanity was recovering from the Second World War. According to their website http://www.cisvusa.org/about.php, the founder psychologist Dr. Doris Allen believed that “the ultimate source for peace, long range, lay with the children.” The program now operates in over 60 countries and has helped over 190,000 people since it began.
“Through CISV, I have gone to Lyon, France and Graz, Austria for a month each,” Knittel said. “I learned a lot about their cultures and their lifestyle. I made so many different friends from so many different places – Argentina, Sweden, Costa Rica, Egypt, Lebanon, Italy, Columbia, France, Graz, Spain, etc.”
Knittel’s travels have made him more appreciative of others and more observant of the world around him. “In Austria I mainly saw places like famous castles, museums, and just around the city,” he said. “Something that I would change that I saw there was that everyone who is anyone smoked, and I just thought that was disgusting.”
The young traveler was only 11 when he spent a month in France. “In France we were a little more sheltered from everything because we were 11, so I didn’t see a lot. But we played a lot of really fun games, we had lots of water fights, and a bunch of just friend making time,” he said.
This year he and his family will be hosting an Interchange Partner here in the States. The money raised will help pay for the outings they have together. He hopes to show his partner the American experience, including a trip to Chicago, and a bite to eat at Dairy Queen.
In addition to his involvement in CISV, Knittel is a National Junior Honors Society Member at Ferndale Middle School and a drummer in the middle school jazz band.
Although he is young, Knittel thinks responsibility is important and believes in working for the things he wants. He had his first pancake fundraiser at the age of ten. The fundraisers also give him a taste of the future he envisions for himself as a chef.
“I got started making pancakes because one summer I was at my friend’s cottage and we had to make breakfast so we made pancakes. When I got home, I wanted to show my parents what I learned. Then i just built off of that, made my own recipes and tested them on my parents,” he said.
“I am very grateful of Lola supporting me by letting me use her salon,” he said. This will be the third fundraiser he has had there.
Knittel uses only Michigan made, real maple syrup to top his delicious flapjacks. For more information about the fundraiser, go to https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214369501924879. It takes place from 10am-1pm at Lola’s Salon at 23908 Woodward Ave. Pancakes are $1 each.