By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The Lions Club in St. Joseph invites St. Joseph residents to eat some pancakes, and give some blood, as part of its 69th annual pancake days. Pancake Days will begin on Friday March 25th and run through Sunday the 27th. President of the Host Lions Club Roer Unruh says the first day of pancake days will look a little different this year, as the Lions Club looks to help out with the ongoing blood shortage in the area. "The blood agencies around the city of St. Joseph have run short and we need to fill up that stock," Unruh tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And so, we're going to have a blood drive starting at 1oam on Friday and it will run until 4pm, and we do ask that people call in and make reservations for that blood drive." Unruh says the blood drive will begin on Friday, when the Lions Club sees a normally smaller crowd. "Friday has always been kind of a slow day, so we have plenty of room to do that, and it doesn't take these folks very long to set up they'll come in there, they'll set up, and they'll be ready to run," Unruh says. "They've already taken three or four reservations, they've got 48 left, so we invite everybody to make reservations." Anyone who donates blood will get a free ticket to eat all the pancakes and sausage they would like. Doors open on Friday for pancakes at 7am. Reservations can be made by calling 816-351-1128 to set up a reservation time. Unruh says pancake days are always popular, with the Lions serving over 15,000 pancakes through the weekend. He says a big thing they love to see is the community coming together over breakfast, lunch, or dinner. "I know neighborhoods that show up, just to have the breakfast, they have a breakfast together," Unruh says. "They all get around the table and they sit there and chat for an hour and then they leave, and that's what we want to foster is that type of attitude, come out and have a good time, see people you haven't seen for a while, sit down and take a little time with them." Pancake days will run Friday through Sunday, with doors opening at 7am all three days. Service will end at 7pm on Friday and Saturday, and at 2pm on Sunday.