At least one great tradition revolves around pancakes and syrup. Just ask Tony Darden.

The 73-year parishioner of Grace Episcopal Church in Radford has been a regular at the congregation's annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper since age 6.

For about the last 50 years, he's been a fixture.

In the late 1950s, Darden and a couple other men of the church assumed responsibility for the Shrove Tuesday event when the women of Grace Episcopal elected to stop cooking.

"They took the recipe and tore it up and they quit," said Darden, 79.

Darden, who presided over the church's 104th annual pancake supper this week, has been the go-to person ever since.

That means ensuring 60 pounds of sausage, 13 gallons of milk, 6 pounds of pancake mix, 5 gallons of syrup and 7 pounds of butter are in place and waiting to be mixed on the morning of the event.

That means arriving at the church early on Shrove Tuesday and not leaving until about 9:30 at night--some 2¹₂ hours after the last mouth is fed.

It also means rounding up a reliable team of volunteers who are willing to cook and serve up to 300 guests, about 110 at a time.

"Weather is not a factor at all," said Darden, who spends most of the night hovered around two grills. "If there's something going on in town at RU or Radford High School or something, people will come early and eat and then go on to other functions if they need to. It works out real good."

The Radford native doesn't mind the long day.

"He just likes the tradition of it," said Tony's son, Kem Darden, who helps his father coordinate the supper most years. "There's no asking Tony if he would like to help again. They just say, 'Tony, here it comes again. He says, 'I know and I'm ready. Y'all get ready.' "

Originating in the fourth century of the church, the Lenten season, which spans 40 weekdays, begins the day after Shrove Tuesday on Ash Wednesday and concludes the Saturday before Easter.

Churches that observe Lent traditionally view the period as a time of prayer and repentance for failures and sin.

Shrove Tuesday is sometimes known by the French term Mardi Gras, meaning "Fat Tuesday," which contrasts to the fasting that traditionally occurs during Lent.

Grace Episcopal raised $1,125 in donations at this year's supper. The money will go to toward a church youth trip to two churches in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina.

"It's something I can do for the church," Darden said of his involvement. "I've done it so long and I know what it takes. I know about the number of people that we have to have. Where somebody else will say, 'I'm going to usher' and somebody else will say, 'I'm going to be on the visitation committee' ... this is just something that I can do."

Darden plans to keep on making pancakes for years to come.

"I'd say he'll probably stop when they throw the dirt on him," Kem Darden said.

"That'll be about it. When the pancake supper comes up at Grace Episcopal there's no questions asked. They just say, 'Tony.' It's like clockwork every year.

He organizes it and he does it all. And that's one reason it runs so smooth."

In religion

Black History Month service. Sunday, 11 a.m., Asbury United Methodist Church, Christiansburg. 382-0743.

Clark Boyd in concert. Sunday, 6 p.m., Bible Baptist Church, Cambria. 268-2951.

Lenten lecture series. Tuesdays through March 20, 7 p.m., St. Francis Anglican Church, Blacksburg. Free. Title is "Seek and Ye Shall Find: The Quest for Spiritual Homeland in Post-Christian America." 832-4116.

St. Michael Lutheran Church in Blacksburg Lenten schedule. Wednesday, March 7, 14, 21 and 28 will include a soup supper at 6 p.m. followed by worship at 6:45. 951-8951.

World Day of Prayer service. Friday, 7 p.m., St. Paul United Methodist Church. 382-1373.

"Mr. Stinky Feet" Jim Cosgrove in concert. March 16, 7 p.m., Fieldstone United Methodist Church, Christiansburg. Free. 260-3402.

Pathway Christian Academy (Christiansburg) benefit dinner. March 16, 6:30 p.m., Harbor of Hope Church, Christiansburg. Tickets, $15 per person. Guest speaker The Rev. Jerry VanDerveen will present "Ownership: Ensuring Christian Education for Today and Tomorrow." To reserve a seat: 320-3082.

Baha'is of the New River Valley devotion and question-and-answer session on the Baha'i faith. Sundays, 6:30 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church, Blacksburg. 818-0611.

Peaceknits: Charity knitting/crocheting. Third Mondays, 5 to 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren, Blacksburg. Bring supplies. Yarn donations welcome. Patterns and ideas provided. For all skill levels. 961-0354.

Book discussion group. Tuesdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Wellspring at Christiansburg Presbyterian Church. Focused on Corinne Ware's book, "St. Benedict on the Freeway -- A Rule of Life for the 21st Century." Free but books must be purchased. 382-6510.

Stretching Body and Spirit. Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Christiansburg Presbyterian Church, 107 W. Main St. A yoga class for Christians. Includes a gentle hatha yoga workout coupled with Christian chanting, prayer and meditation. 382-2802.

Relationship Bible Study. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Blacksburg. Meal and wellness program, "Food for Soul." 552-8782.

Lutheran Student Movement. Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Campus Center, Virginia Tech. Dinner and fellowship. 552-0066.

Gospel singing and Bible study. First Tuesdays and every Thursday, 9:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., Christiansburg Recreation Center, Christiansburg. Musicians, singers and bench warmers welcome. 382-8543.

Bible study. Shepherd's Chapel Bible students seek members to meet every other Wednesday at the Christiansburg Library Community Room. 381-4557.

Meditation program. Wednesdays, 5:15 p.m., Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, Blacksburg. Learn a simple, universal meditation practice for people of all faiths and beliefs. 552-2177 or www.meditate-shivabala.org.

Faith discussion groups. Thursdays, 10 to 11 a.m.; Fridays noon to 1 p.m., Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, Blacksburg. 951-1000.