Waffles are better than pancakes.

There, I said it.

These age-old foes have been pitted against each other by society since their inception.

Just off the edge of Indiana University's campus, one organization is setting pancakes against another well-established Bloomington entity: party culture.

The Salt Company, a Christian ministry for IU students, will host its annual pancake party Thursday night.

IU junior and Salt Company president Isabelle Hermann said they have several events planned, with one goal in mind.

“This first week, we really buckled down with events… a big one is the pancake party after volleyball games at Read,” Hermann said. “We really just try to reach people to come to our events so that we can share the message of Christ.”

Salt Company aims to provide a healthy alternative to what other student gatherings may offer.

“I think what makes it unique is a big thing we try to do with the pancake party is show people that they can have fun without consuming alcohol,” Hermann said.

Having an older sister in Salt Company before she ever got to IU made it easy for Hermann to find her people there.

However, she emphasized that anybody can and will find a community in Salt.

“You can foster deep relationships with people that you just met,” she said. “There are good people on campus that want to know you.”

Though an IU organization, Salt Company’s main goals come from its relation to a local church.

“We are tied to a church here in Bloomington,” Hermann said. “It's called Embassy, and our mission really is just to share the love of Christ.”

Once just a group of seven staff members, Salt Company was founded in 1987 in Ames, Iowa.

Today, 40 college campuses are home to a Salt Company chapter.

The Iowa State Salt Company was the first to host a pancake party years ago. At a campus intersection, it served and continues to serve thousands of students at every party.

The IU pancake parties generally see a couple hundred people, but Hermann says the goal remains the same at Salt events across the country, no matter the attendance.

“Be a good community for people looking for Christian community, and who have more questions about what being a Christian looks like,” Hermann said.

Hermann stressed that anybody is welcome at Salt Co.

“Even if they're not a Christian, I would encourage them to come to the pancake party because there's just genuinely good people there who want to know more about you,” she said.

More details about other events or Salt Company as a whole can be found on the Salt Indiana Instagram page, or on the Embassy Church website.