Turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Or perhaps it’s ham, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Whatever the culinary Thanksgiving traditions in a home, the assembled food usually works in tandem, with each flavor complementing the next. Without one item, the whole balance can tip, so care is taken to ensure the menu is complete.
This same care is taken for another autumn tradition in Vero Beach: the annual Soup Bowl fundraiser. From the potters who make the bowls to the chefs who make the soups to those who organize the whole thing, each person is an integral part of the day. For three decades, the Soup Bowl event has supported Catholic Charities’ Samaritan Center, and it is no surprise that it kicks off a season of giving.
The event is always held in the fall, and for many years now the date has been set for the first Thursday in November. Local artist Shotsi Lajoie, one of the center’s founding board members, explains: “Because it is before Thanksgiving, the timing reminds you to think about people less fortunate than you during the giving season.”
She fondly remembers the humble beginnings of the fundraiser, which started shortly after the Samaritan Center’s 1992 opening. The plan featured the community putting an original twist on a traditional soup kitchen. As Lajoie explains, “The theory was to have everyone in the county come eat soup together, and only pay $5 for the soup. It was to show the Vero community that you can take a break, and at the same time respect the homeless and the cause.” The price of the soup has never increased, a fact she wholeheartedly appreciates.
Lajoie also recalls when she and a late friend, former mayor Ken Macht, came up with the plan to include ceramic bowls. Since they took a pottery class together, they decided to make soup bowls to sell at the fundraiser. In the spirit of community, other artists volunteered to help. For the inaugural year, 110 bowls were donated, a precursor to the 1,000 bowls currently donated…