Ben Lomond resident Dannon Black organized a soup line to help feed the homeless at Spanky’s Cafe on Sunday, Dec. 21 — something he hopes will become a regular event.
Black began organizing the effort following Thanksgiving, after he made a Facebook post asking if residents were interested in creating the soup line.
“I made this post to people saying that I really wanted to do a soup line, and is anyone interested in teaming up with me,” he said. “And then, of course, my whole town blew up on that idea and they really loved it.”
Since he appeared to have residents’ interested, Black then formed a Facebook group called “Ben Lomond Soup Line,” which currently has more than 30 members. Then, he asked the owners of Spanky’s Café in Ben Lomond if they could provide a space for the event to take place and they gladly agreed.
“So many people in my community donated such great donations like all the cookies which came prepared, and the breads were donated, too,” Black said. “Even clothes and toothbrushes (were contributed).”
Spanky’s donated hot chocolate, coffee, as well as some of the ingredients, and many community members showed up with food and other items for those in need.
All in all, Black said, more volunteers showed up than homeless, and many locals came to the line curious to taste the freshly prepared soups.
“This was our first attempt at this, so not as many people that needed to know about it knew about it,” he said. “But, that’s why we are going to keep doing it again and again.”
Black paid for much of the soup line out of his own pocket, even going to the extent of purchasing to-go containers so those served could take a hot meal with them.
There is no hard date for the next soup line, but Black said he is aiming for a monthly event.
“We were thinking the first or second Saturday of this coming month (January),” he said, but our problem is that we have to work it out with Spanky’s to figure out what is best for them, too.”
Anyone interested in donating or participating in the next soup line can do so by visiting the Facebook group by searching for “Ben Lomond Soup Line.”
