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Flapjack frenzy declared dead heat in race for pink flamingo

Eyes were set on a tacky pink prize Tuesday when representatives from the Office of Highway Safety met representatives from Transportation Performance in culinary combat at Headquarters.

The two groups put spatula to griddle vying for best tasting pancake, most original pancake, biggest pancake and highest flipped pancake. The winning group earned bragging rights and temporary possession of a pink flamingo lawn ornament to proudly display as evidence of flapjack supremacy.

For OHS Grant Officers Lisa Losness and Josephine O’Conner and TP Freight Coordinator Maureen Gresham (contest instigators), the activity was more about meeting and getting to know neighbors in the next modular than all-out, breakfast-fare competition.

“The competition began as Maureen’s idea. The pancake idea was Jo’s,” Losness said.

The contest’s Mardis Gras theme was inspired by Shrove Tuesday -- also known as Pancake Tuesday and Pancake Day -- the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

“It was historically a day when people would clean their coffers of extra flour and fatty foods in preparation of Lent,” Losness explained. “Pancakes were often served on Shrove Tuesday.”

Communication Specialist Reed Hollinshead served as competition judge and chief taster. Spectators from both offices were on hand to watch and wait patiently for pancakes and the judge’s decision.

When the batter powder cleared, the contest was declared a draw with TP winning best tasting and most original kudos and OHS nabbing biggest and highest-flipped honors.

The host office, OHS, retained possession of the trophy because of the tie. Future competitions and socials are planned to continue building a strong working relationship between the two groups.

Photos: Famished staff members from both offices wait somewhat patiently for promised pancakes (top), hoping their team efforts would earn the coveted prize -- a pink flamingo (middle, right). Judge Reed Hollinshead, Communications Office, served as an impartial competition judge ready for lunch (bottom left); Cindy Lee, Transportation Performance grants contract officer, puts a peanut butter and bacon touch to her pancake entry while Lisa Losness, of OHS, works on her decadent pancake entry finished with nuts, caramel sauce and whipped cream (bottom, center); and Brad Biskup, OHS contract programmer, flips one big hotcake on his way to a victory in the competition (bottom, right).