The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — Area chefs will be cooking hearty soups for the public to enjoy during the fourth annual John Hillert Soup-er Sunday at the Masonic Amphitheatre on Sunday, Nov. 11, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. All proceeds from the event will go to the Clifton Forge Area Food Pantry.
Soup-er Sunday is named in memory of John Hillert who was instrumental in implementing the concept of the Soup-er Sunday fund-raiser for the food pantry and worked hard with volunteers to present the first Soup-er Sunday in Novem-ber 2015.
In 2016, Hillert was diagnosed with stage four non-smoker’s lung cancer and died on May 18, 2017, but was an active committee member and attended 2016’s event in his wheelchair.
Area chefs are donating their time, talent and ingredients to make the day a success. Over 25 different varieties of soups, chicken and dumplings, chili, stew, crackers and homemade desserts will be available.
Jack Mason’s Tavern, Hill Crest B&B, Club Car, Café Michel, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, Fire & Light Gallery, Twinkles Diner and Big Fat Jerry’s are a few of the businesses that will be on the amphitheatre stage serving soup, in addition to individual chefs from Clifton Forge, Covington and Alleghany County.
In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Historic Masonic Theatre’s Thomas P. Dean, Racey and Dean Inc., Underground Lounge and Café.
The Masonic Amphitheatre is located at 513 Church St.
Chefs will begin serving soup at 12:30 p.m. A soup tasting — three four-ounce samples, crackers and a drink including Old Dog Coffee, will sell for $6. A quart of soup sells for $10. Homemade desserts will also be available for purchase.
Guests are encouraged to eat at the amphitheatre park or drop by and purchase soup in a take-out container.
Guests will pay as they pass through the entrance tent, or they have the option of bringing at least six non-perishable food items in lieu of the $6.
All Soup-er Sunday participants are donating their time so that as much money as possible may be raised for the food pantry during this particularly busy time of year.
The Clifton Forge Area Food Pantry serves Clifton Forge, Iron Gate, Millboro and Hot Springs; areas of Covington and Eagle Rock; as well as anyone with an emergency. It provides food for over 350 families per month.
“Our food is very low at this time … the worst we have seen it — especially canned goods,” said Debbie West, Food Pantry president. “Buying case lots is expensive. Our client base is growing weekly and as cold weather is upon us with large utility bills that must be paid, our clients struggle to feed their families. This food pantry is vital to the community and operates on donations of food and money to sustain its operation.
“The John Hillert Soup-er Sunday is a great event to attend and has been a huge success for helping the food pantry accomplish its goals to meet the need in the community,”?she added.
At 2017’s event, enough money was raised to purchase 13,857 pounds of food, in addition to the 140 pounds of food that was donated at the event.
Money raised increased 20 percent over 2016’s event.
The event consists entirely of volunteers, from the committee members to the chefs to the many volunteers who worked the event and donate their time. The goal is to increase the amount of money raised each year.
To learn more, please visit the Clifton Forge Area Food Pantry Facebook page. The event is sponsored by the John Hillert Soup-er Sun-day Committee.
