What's better than a warm bowl of soup? It's a muffin tin full of soup. Every year, longtime fans of Soup Sunday take muffin tins to the popular event because they know that's how to carry more cups of soup gathered from about 30 participating restaurants.
What started in 1983 at the now closed Cajun's Wharf has grown so much they've moved to larger venues several times. For the third year and with more than 1,000 guests expected, Soup Sunday will take place March 10 at the Venue at Westwind in North Little Rock.
This year Danyelle Walker and Shannon Collier-Tenison are heading up the event which is a fundraiser for Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families (AACF).
Money raised at the AAFC's largest fundraiser supports the nonprofit's mission to ensure that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential.
Both women are nine-year veterans of the nonprofit's board.
Collier-Tenison, on the faculty at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, teaches social work policy classes and became interested in AACF through having staff member Jennifer Ferguson come talk to her classes about the AACF's Kid's Count Report. "The work they were doing fits very well with the social work perspective."
A longtime volunteer, Collier-Tenison says she can't name her favorite thing about Soup Sunday because she loves it all. For the past four or five years she has worked at the door greeting attendees and handing out trays to those who haven't brought a muffin tin.
"I love seeing people coming in. There are whole families and they're bringing in grandparents and kids of all ages. My boys were college freshmen last year and they both showed up because they've been going for so long. They love it. So I really do love the whole thing. But I love working the door and just seeing people coming in and that they're there to support the organization."
"I have gone to Soup Sunday ever since I've been on the board and I have enjoyed it tremendously," Walker says. "I tell people to come hungry, leave happy because you're gonna have a lot of soup. It's a lot of fun. It's like a family tradition. And we had about 1,000 people here last year. I think we're going to surpass that this year."
Walker became an AACF board member while she was also serving on the board of the shelter Our House.
"I thought that would be an excellent complement to what I was doing on the Our House board," she explains. "That's a direct response type of board where people can contact Our House and be assisted. And this," she says about AACF, "is like a behind-the-scenes type of organization that helps us see how policies are developed to help lower income families and children, and how all of that collaboration works together."
Walker explains what the organization has accomplished, "We were a major proponent of free breakfasts for lower income children. We had a major part in the overhaul of the juvenile justice system. We have a big part in health care, and it's so important. So, not only can you come hungry and leave happy, you can do it for a purpose, right?"
The long running event with the family friendly party atmosphere will be spread out in the large venue. Donna Terrell will be the master of ceremonies and there will be a DJ and dance floor and a photo booth. There will also be a kids area and for the children who don't want soup, there will be hot dogs and chips. And for those who want to enjoy their soup in a more peaceful atmosphere, there will be a room for them, too.
Collier-Tenison says "for people who've been there before, we want to make a note, too, that parking is going to be improved this year."
Another improvement is the silent auction has been expanded. "It's through Bidpal and people can start ahead of the event on Saturday. So it'll open the day before for people to do their shopping and get their early bids in," Collier-Tenison says.
And then there will be the soup sampling. James Hale of Allsopp & Chapple is this year's featured chef. Around 30 restaurants are participating and a variety of mouthwatering soups will be offered including Tomato Basil Bisque, Roasted Mushroom Soup topped with a Manchego Crisp and Chive Oil, Arkansas Grown Candy Roasted Squash Soup and Duck Chowder. Guests can vote for their favorite soup with the winning restaurant receiving a golden ladle. In addition to soup, some restaurants will be offering fresh bread, drinks and desserts.
"We're very appreciative of the restaurants that will be in attendance," Walker says. "So we do ask attendees, if at all possible, go out and patronize them. It's a huge sacrifice for them, you know, with the economy and everything. They're digging into their love pockets to do this. We appreciate them so much."
Soup Sunday is 4-7 p.m March 10. Early bird tickets are $45 for individual tickets and $75 for patron tickets which includes beer and wine. At the door, these tickets will be $50 and $80, respectively. Children five and under eat free and tickets for children ages five to 17 are $10. For more information on Soup Sunday, to buy tickets and view participating restaurants visit: bit.ly/49Joghf.
Danyelle Walker and Shannon Collier-Tenison are ready to sample soup at the family friendly fundraiser Soup Sunday on March 10. The event raises money for Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)