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Steamboat Springs — Before the Yampa Fire Protection District was formed as a taxing entity, the volunteer fire department held a pancake supper every New Year's Eve to raise the funds it needed to get through the year.

"Before the district was formed, they did it to put gas in the trucks," Yampa Fire Protection District Chief Dan Allen said Wednesday night.

More than 30 years later, firefighters still fire up the griddles every New Year's Eve, though the mill levy-funded district thinks of the pancake supper as more of a fun night with the community than a fundraiser, Allen said.

More than 60 people kicked off their New Year's Eve revelry with a philanthropic, community-oriented start at the Yampa Fire Protection District's annual all-you-can-eat pancake supper at the Ladies Aid Hall.

Navy Karow, 7, bested his friends by devouring six pancakes - two each of regular, sourdough and chocolate chip.

Navy's probably been beating out the rest of the family at pancake-eating since he was 2, his mother, Maura Karow, said.

Navy said the chocolate chip variety was by far his favorite.

"They've never seen the chocolate chip pancakes before," his mother said. "I usually make them with wheat germs and nuts."

The Karows come to the pancake supper every year not just for convenience - they live right across the street - but to support their local fire department, Maura said.

Though most of the local diners seemed to be keeping pretty good track of how many pancakes were going down the hatch, the kitchen was unsure how many dozen flapjacks they'd served up.

"We lost count two hours ago," firefighter Scott Delto said.

"I only know how many I've eaten," Lt. Ralph Bracegirdle said, pouring sourdough pancake batter.

Though all fingers pointed toward Chief Allen, grilling up regular pancakes in the kitchen, as the most talented with a spatula, he maintained that griddle duty was the result of drawing "the short straw." But there were worse jobs to be had in the kitchen Wednesday night.

"It beats washing dishes," Allen said.

Firefighter Tammy Delto got herself booted from the griddle after some culinary failures, and moved on to greeting hungry pancake-eaters instead.

"I left the kitchen as soon as I made a square pancake," she said.