Jacob Dimond / jake@yelmonline.com
In an effort to build stronger relationships within the local area while enjoying a hot meal, Yelm Lions Club has launched its weekly “Souper Sunday” event — where community members can visit the Carlson Cabin to enjoy soup from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Yelm Lions Club, which has been an integral member of the community since 1939, welcomes volunteers each Sunday to prepare a large pot of soup and create a welcoming dining space for attendees to enjoy.
According to Ashley Brooks, membership chair for Yelm Lions Club, guests of “Souper Sunday” are invited to sit down and eat amongst their neighbors at zero charge.
“The spirit is connection, not charity. It is ‘come eat with us,’ not ‘come get food.’ People dine together, talk, laugh, and leave knowing they belong to this community,” Brooks told the Nisqually Valley News on Monday, Nov. 24. “Volunteers reflect all ages and abilities, and everyone who wants to help has a place.”
Brooks noted that “Souper Sunday” originally started as a friendly conversation amongst neighbors about creating a space for the community to come together through food. She said they were inspired by communal dining traditions where neighbors bring ingredients and cook a meal to share elbow to elbow at long tables.
“In partnership with the Food Source Foundation, the Lions Club, which has served Yelm since 1939, embraced the idea as a continuation of our legacy of building connections through service,” Brooks said.
Currently, “Souper Sunday” includes over 200 community members in their online volunteer group — which can be found on Facebook at “Souper Sunday Yelm, Wa.” Brooks noted that some volunteers help every week, while many donate ingredients and time.
“Many come simply to sit and eat with someone new. We always welcome more volunteers. There is a place for anyone who wants to participate,” Brooks said. “Our purpose is to build community and reduce isolation. We aim for a weekly opportunity to bring people together with dignity and warmth. At our very first gathering, we reached nearly 100 people, and the strongest feedback we received was that it felt like belonging, not charity. The goal is a consistent connection. Creating a weekly rhythm where neighbors sit side by side.”
Brooks, and those involved with “Souper Sunday,” believe this is such an important cause for Yelm because in a small city, people long for a “real human connection.” Brooks noted some attendees come for food, while others come for companionship.
“Souper Sunday gives people a reason to gather, meet someone new and be fully welcomed,” she said. “It is as much about emotional nourishment as physical nourishment. It brings back that old-fashioned feeling of neighborliness that Yelm has always prided itself on.”
Brooks added that since “Souper Sunday” efforts are hosted by Yelm Lions Club, the weekly event is grounded in over 85-years of service history in Yelm. She described legacy members of the organization as the Cochrane Family, the Wilcox Family, the Sickle Family and many more.
“Lions serve not from above, but alongside others. Souper Sunday is a reflection of that. Sharing a meal together as equals,” Brooks said.
