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Soup sale is appetizing fundraiser at Christ Episcopal Church
By LINDA M. LINONIS
WARREN
Nancy Maggiano, a member of Christ Episcopal Church, 2627 Atlantic St. NE, for some 30 years, thought a soup sale would be a “good fundraiser,” and she was correct.
Soup warms the body and comforts the spirit, and a soup-making project that started in February 2007 has continued year-round since.
“The soup sale was a nice addition to our other fund-raisers ... the bazaar in November and rummage sale in April,” said Maggiano, who serves as project coordinator.
While some may think soup is more a food for snowy, rainy or cold days, Maggiano said sales are strong throughout the year. “Some people buy more for special occasions and Christmas,” she said. “One gentleman has been buying six to eight quarts every month. He told me he loves it and eats it all.”
Maggiano said the wedding soup recipe used is from her husband’s late aunt, Angie Maselli. “Aunt Ange is watching from heaven, so we hand-chop everything. We don’t use a chopper,” Maggiano said.
The soup crew gets together on the morning of the second Thursday of the month to make the soup for the sale on the third Thursday. Six 16-quart pots are on the stove. Into them goes about 12 bunches each of celery and carrots, along with onions and endive. Maggiano said she uses a soup base and chicken breasts to create the tasty broth. The chicken is later shredded as another soup ingredient. The small meatballs added are sausage. “I think the sausage makes it savory,” Maggiano said.
Maggiano arrives at the church kitchen by 7:30 a.m. to start cooking the chicken breasts and by 9, the other volunteers are there. By noon, the soup is cooked; the effort yields about 50 quarts. The soup is then cooled and packaged into plastic containers. “We’ve found frozen soup is more easily transported and safer,” Maggiano said.
The coordinator explained she picked wedding soup because it was so popular in her family. “Wedding is the melding ... the joining of flavors,” she explained, adding it’s not soup reserved for wedding celebrations.
As for why she does it ... Maggiano said, “I like helping the church. And we have fun doing this.”
She added that the secret to the soup is “lots of help and love.”
Maggiano continued that the project also brings community residents to the church. “So many people support it,” she said, adding the soup crew gets to meet new people this way.
Pam Brown, a church member for some 62 years, said she got involved “to serve the church.” “I’m a customer, too,” she added.
Janet Gladd, a church member since 1942, also is on the soup crew. “I like the companionship. And I get to take home my supper,” she said. “Soup is a staple.”
Diane Snelson, a church member since birth, said she was “drafted.” “Nancy is my son’s mother-in-law, but helping is fun,” she said.
Another volunteer, Becky Watts, has attended the church since 1978. “This is a service for the church and a way to make the church known,” she said. “My friends have said they love it.”
The soup crew said that the church has built a reputation in the community for its soup. The volunteers noted that the soup also travels; some customers report taking quarts on family visits in other parts of the country.
Other soup volunteers are Rose Nye, Jan Henrey and Bill Baran.