March 1 is international pancake day this year. The small Kansas town of Liberal celebrates it like no other. It all started back in 1445 in Olney, England, when a woman was making pancakes to use up her cooking fats before lent. While making the pancakes, she heard the church bells ringing for the shriving service. She ran 415 yards to the church, skillet and pancake in hand. In the following years, it became a race as neighbors joined in to see who could make it to the church first to collect a kiss of peace from the bell ringer. It was brought to Liberal in 1950 when a magazine showed a picture of Olney women racing to church. Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the Vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church in Olney, Reverand Ronald Collins, challenging their women to race against the women of Liberal. The prize of the race in Liberal is also a kiss of peace from the bell ringer.
Source: KSN-TV
