Soup Night (40 page)

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Authors: Maggie Stuckey

BOOK: Soup Night
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The Robbins Family, Grayslake, Illinois
Soup Night Checklist
  • Put bowls and spoons out
  • Cups for water and wineglasses ready
  • Soup made
  • Soup serving spoons out
  • Bread plate and knife out
  • Butter soft and out
  • Paper plates out
  • Feed dogs and let out
  • Plastic forks out
  • Napkins out
  • Garbage in kitchen dumped
  • Dishwasher unloaded
  • Both bathrooms cleaned
  • Move dog gates
  • Outside lights turned on
  • Dust house
  • Clean off kitchen and dining table
  • Put shoes away
  • Sign-in book set out
  • Pick up basement
  • Put rugs by front door out
Soup for a Good Cause

If you are involved in a nonprofit organization, or have kids in school, or know someone who does, you surely know all about special-event fund-raisers. And you know how easily even the most loyal supporters get to the point of fundraiser fatigue. I know people who say to their spouses or partners, “Can’t we just give them some money and
not go
to the dinner / auction / costume party / whatever?”

Here’s an idea: Host a soup supper. In researching this book, I came to know several organizations that use soup as the main mechanism of their fundraising activities, and always to great success. Because soup is casual and homey, it has a way of putting people at ease. A bowl of soup is comfortable in a way that a fancy dinner never can match. One participant explains it this way, describing her organization’s annual Soup Cookoff: “It’s so much nicer than the usual auction, which is — let’s face it — bo-
ring
. Plus you get to eat something good” (Jennifer, SE Works, see
page 80
). Even neighborhood groups can add a “giving” component to their event; the Neelys’ Big Soup dinner in Pittsburgh (
page 118
) is especially inspiring.

So if you are searching for ideas for your organization, take a look at the experiences of these groups below. And if you are invited to one of their events, go!

Contributors
Carol Adler
  • Mill Valley, California
Nicole Adrian
Albertina’s Restaurant
Ann Armstrong
  • Salem, Oregon
Ann Bates
  • Civano Community
  • Tucson, Arizona
Dennis Battles
  • Long Beach, Washington
Martha Bayne
Lou Poole Brown
  • Lewisville, North Carolina
Anna Bueno
  • Bedford, Massachusetts
David Campiche
Marilee Corey
  • Salem, Oregon
Julie Dahlberg
Lisa Fine
Heather Vogel Frederick
Lori and Paul Fredrich
Rebecca Gagnon
Renee Giroux
  • Portland, Oregon
Ariana Jacob
Cheyenne Johnson
Toni Kelly
Rev. Mary Knight
  • Spokane, Washington
  • Community Minister, Hospital Chaplain
Mary Ella Kuster
  • Portland, Oregon
Trudy Ludwig
Grace Martin
  • Aurora, Illinois
Diane Mermigas
  • Chicago, Illinois
Channing Meyer
Kathryn and Eric Meyer
Sonia Montalbano
  • Portland, Oregon
Stephen and Melissa Neely
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Newland
  • Civano Community, Tucson, Arizona
  • Marysville, Washington
Kennette Osborn
  • Ocean Park, Washington
Andrea Pedolsky
  • Washington, D.C.
Suzy and Philip Poll
  • Houston, Texas
Kathleen Pool
  • Portland, Oregon
Regina Wirsich Roberts, Intuitive Artist
Jennifer Rollins
  • Portland, Oregon
Maureen M. Ruddy
  • Fairfax, Virginia
Jennifer Sammons
  • Portland, Oregon
Elizabeth Schellberg
Lewinna Solwing
Sydney Stevens
Virginia Tackett
  • Hillsboro, Oregon
Patty Wood
  • Oysterville, Washington
Lexa Walsh
Recipes by Season
Fall Recipes
Fall Soups
Fall Breads
Fall Salads
Fall Desserts
Winter Recipes
Winter Soups
Winter Breads
Winter Salads
Winter Desserts
Spring Recipes
Spring Soups
Spring Breads
Spring Salads
Spring Desserts
Summer Recipes
Summer Soups

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