Mary Binker could not believe that it took so long to discover Souper Bowl Sunday when she picked up her hand-made bowl and soup Sunday at the Clayworks at Kilohana.
Binker was experiencing her first Souper Bowl Sunday presented by Susan Pittman of Clayworks, and ran into Cheryl Brady and Elizabeth Mares, who are veterans of the event where diners of a specially created soup served in a bowl of the donor’s choice get to take home the hand-made bowl.
“This is my fourth year,” Brady said. “We come in, take the class and make a bowl. We come back on Souper Bowl Sunday to pick up the finished bowl and the soup. This is more than just soup. It’s become kind of a tradition for us.”
The option of making your own bowl makes the event an experience — starting with the process of throwing the bowl, glazing, and finally enjoying the soup prepared by Gaylord’s chef Johnny Saguid and sous chef Dean Ka‘ai in the finished bowl.
“I can’t believe this,” Binker said. “When I made my bowl, I didn’t realize I would make the papers. A friend sent a copy to Idaho where it went viral. I was getting phone calls and texts from everywhere. Where have I been?”
More than a hundred bowls were accounted for as Pittman and her son Jason worked to fill soup orders from the throng of people working to clear their errand list before the kickoff for the National Football League Super Bowl game.
“I use the bowls for everything,” said Juhree Bushnell. “I keep coming back, too. Usually I pick up two, and if I see something nice, maybe up to four. And, I’m coming back Thursday to take a class.”
Proceeds from the Souper Bowl Sunday go 100% to benefit the Mobile Munchies program to feed youngsters across the island, administered by Lihu‘e Lutheran Church.
“Last year we raised about $4,000 for the Mobile Muchies,” Susan Pittman said. “Looks like we’re getting there this year, too.”
The Mobile Munchies program includes a meeting each Thursday at the church on German Hill (Ho‘omana Road), where volunteers work to create more than 400 sandwiches that are packed in paper sacks with a healthy snack and drink and delivered to sites island-wide that provide after-school services for youth on Kauai.
“I’ve come to Souper Bowl Sunday every year,” said Bevin Parker-Evans. “Who would not want to participate in this program? This is a nice thing Susan does, giving back to the community to help others who need helping. The nice thing about this is you don’t have to cook — just sit down by the TV.”
For people who missed Souper Bowl Sunday, there are a limited number of bowls — without the soup — available for the same contribution to the Mobile Munchies program.
Bushnell said one thing is certain: “We’re having a ‘souper’ dinner tonight.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
