Everything was carefully planned at Delmont Presbyterian for their participation in the nationwide Souper Bowl of Caring scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday, February 7. But the weekend snowfall put a postponement in the plans for the DPC youth. Most of the plans were held on the following Sunday, February 14 while their service event was moved to later this month.
Elder Lynn Mance with youth leaders Debbie and Bryan Lukacs, Chuck Sheffler and Becky Hollis organized this year’s event. By working together with both the junior and senior youth groups and the Sunday school classes the participants raised a cash donation of $1,681.99 and collected 283 food and paper items. All donations were donated to the Westmoreland County Food Bank.
The Souper Bowl of Caring is a youth-led grassroots movement of caring, the result of thousands of young people joining together to fight hunger and poverty in their communities. Since its start in 1990, over $50 million has been raised for charities across the country. 100% of the collections are donated directly to the charity of the group’s own choice. It is a tremendous opportunity to make young people aware of this chronic hunger problem and do something personally about it. This was the fifth year for the DPC youth to participate in the event.
The DPC project began on January 10 with a kick off Sunday. The congregation viewed a promotional DVD, while senior high youth group president, Justin Ledbetter, presented the minute for mission at the worship service. Also on that day, a grocery cart was placed in the church foyer to begin the food drive.
A group of youth and adults solicited for cash and food donations on Saturday January 30 at the Delmont Wal-Mart. This not only gave the community the opportunity to help but also brought awareness to the hunger problem in our county and to this national event.
On the postponed big day, February 14, several youth presented a skit entitled “The Souper Bowl Quiz Show” and the youth then collected cash donations in soup pots following the worship service. Many members of the congregation also donated homemade soup for a soup sale held that day. Approximately 60 pints and quarts of soup were sold. Not only did this make the cash donation pot a lot bigger many enjoyed the delicious soup.
The youth had planned to participate in their first Souper Bowl of Caring service blitz on Saturday February 6 but that has been postponed to later this month. They will be preparing and serving a lasagna dinner to the residents of the Welcome Home Shelter in Greensburg.
