Serena Kirby, Denmark Bulletin

Dozens of locals have been lining up on Tuesdays to enjoy a bowl of soup as the new local Soupy gets up and running.

This weekly community get together is the brainchild of Lindsey Sesin who came up with the idea as a way of using the excess produce she sometimes has from her Denmark Home Grown business.

She also had become aware of a growing number of local people struggling financially and saw the Soupy as a way to help out.

And, while the Soupy is open to those in need, it is primarily designed as an all-inclusive community event.

“I’d seen a soup kitchen initiative in another town and it was really well supported,” Lindsey said.

“I saw that it was a way to bring people of all ages and all walks of life together to share a meal.

“My initial idea was to pull together a range of community building activities that would regularly run over several days but I wanted to start with one activity first so Soupy is really the pilot project for a bigger initiative.”

Lindsey said that when she first put the call out on social media for helpers she was overwhelmed by the number of people keen to help.

She then formed a team of volunteers who all pitched in to help plan the Soupy program and allocate jobs.

The project came together with several local producers donating excess produce, support from IGA Express, the Community Resource Centre as well as the RSL Club from whom the space is rented every Tuesday.

“We cook up giant pots of freshly made, healthy soup and people can come back for seconds if they like,” Lindsey said.

With more than 50 people turning up each week, Lindsey said the response had been heart warming.

While a $5 donation is preferred, it’s not essential as the Soupy is all about bringing people together rather than making money.

“There’s something special about people coming together to share a homemade meal,” Lindsey said.

“We set out long tables to encourage people to mingle and get to know each other.

“It’s like social media but in real life.”

The Soupy runs from 5pm-7pm every Tuesday at the Denmark RSL.

All ages are welcome.

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 30 September 2021.