Souper Bowl Cook-off

Taco soup and deer chili were offered by many of the teams at the Saline County Habitat for Humanity Annual Souper Bowl Cook-off, held in Benton on Friday. Customers paying $5 each had an opportunity to sample all the chili, soups and gumbos they could eat, to raise funds for the Apostles Build, a home that will be built in September by members of more than a dozen Saline County churches. “This is our fourth year with our cook-off,” said Karma Herzfeld, executive director of Habitat in Saline County. “This was our second year at the First United Methodist Church in Benton, and we had more than 20 teams taking part in the cook-off. Herzfeld said the event raised $4,220 for the build, an increase of almost 22 percent over the amount raised last year. With the cook-off sampling available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Herzfeld said the soups and chili varieties attracted plenty of lunchtime visitors. A team from First Security Bank received first place with tips exceeding $300. The tips were also contributed to Habitat’s building fund. The event helped Habitat for Humanity move one step closer to ending substandard housing in Saline County, Herzfeld said. Photos by Curt Youngblood