'Souper Bowl of Caring' Raises Funds for Food Banks

Fun, fundraising, food and friends were the theme at as the “Souper Bowl of Caring” raised money and collected nonperishable foods for area food pantries Sunday.

While many stuffed themselves at Super Bowl parties, those attending "Souper Bowl of Caring" events like this generally had only soup and rice, said organizer Nancy Laskowski, an All Saints member who lives in Union Lake. 

In addition to the traditional soup and rice served at these events, there also were additional snack items. The snacks were leftover from a “lock-in” for middle and high school students taking place Saturday night at the church, and they weren't about to waste the food, organizers said.

Milissa Schmantowsky, an All Saints member and parent volunteer from White Lake, said the students who took part in the Souper Bowl of Caring had an overnight lock-in retreat. (Her 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, also participated.)

Students from several communities participated in the “lock-in” and "Souper Bowl of Caring" events, including planning and performing in the two Sunday services.

One of the fun parts of the event was a “noisy collection” of change taken after each service. Non-perishable goods also were collected. Although final totals are not available, Laskowski estimated the collection generated about $200 cash; she added that about 30 bags of food were collected.

After the church’s food pantry is restocked, the food that remains and the change collection will be divided between Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan and Community Sharing.

Kelsey Morath, 16, of Fenton, is the Lock-In and Activities chair for the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) in the Southeast Synod. An All Saints member, she served as youth coordinator for the event. Morath explained that in addition to playing a variety of games, bowling and watching movies, students practiced their songs and skits for the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services they planned.

The students were tired after staying up all night, but participating in the event was well worth every bit of effort, Morath said. In order to attend this second “lock-in” at All Saints, students must have attended either “The Gathering,” a larger “lock-in” event in Novi right after Christmas last year or LTS (Leadership Training School), a week-long camp in the summer, which teaches youth peer ministry skills, similar to Stephen Ministry.

Each person attending Sunday services was encouraged to make use of strips of cloth and sharpies in the back of the church for a special project. “We asked everyone to write down a personal struggle they were having,” Morath explained. “We wove it into a cross shape [strung] with thread. Over time, as more people fill it up, it will start to look really cool,” she added.

Laura Hartman, 13, of Highland, is a member of All Saints. She greatly enjoyed the “lock-in,” especially the game of “Sardines,” which she described as being somewhat like hide-and-seek. Hartman said having a “noisy offering” on the way out of church was a lot of fun. She estimated that there were 15 kinds of soup available to try. “I thought it was very tasty,” she added. 

 “It’s a time to get together with some old friends and make new friends and to remember how blessed we are,” said Johannah Facer, 17, of Ypsilanti. She attended “The Gathering” and the summer youth camp. Facer said she made some great friends who have made her welcome to attend their churches, and she is glad to meet up with them again at All Saints. She’d like the event to touch the lives of others permanently, even if it’s in a small way. “I hope that people can get something out of it and keep it with them,” she added.