PORT WASHINGTON, NY – Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Port Washington, NY hosted the 9th annual Souper Bowl on February 4, the eve of Super Bowl LI.

The event brought out hundreds of people to taste a variety of soups and raise funds for charity. Among the soups to try were creamy chicken noodle soup, spicy Cajun seafood chowder, beefy cheeseburger soup, chickpea soup, cauliflower soup, Tuscan cabbage and bean soup, and potato soup. The selections were perfect for warming up from the frigid temperatures outside. Participating restaurants from Port Washington made their best soups for the event for the large crowd that lined up to sample the soups.

One attendee said of the event, “Where else can you try 16 soups at once?” as reported in Newsday. Cooking for such a large number of people can be tricky, as one chef noted, observing that the larger proportion of ingredients can be difficult for inexperienced chefs, and proper planning is required.

Port Washington Chamber of Commerce organizers said about 600 people attended the event with a portion of the proceeds going to the food pantry at Our Lady of Fatima Social Ministry in Port Washington.

Among those at the event, Anthony Pergola, age 75, of Port Washington, enjoyed bowls of many of the soups and was asked which one he liked best. He told Newsday, “I love them all. It’s hard to pick.”

His daughter Darlene Pergola Apolant, 49, of Jericho, brought her son, Kolton Apolant, 9, to enjoy the soups along with her parents. She mentioned the soups she had tasted including the chicken noodle and a pizza-flavored soup. Apolant said, “I’m having a fantastic day,” noting that the Souper Bowl is a beloved event in the town. “It’s a very tightly knit community and this is for a good cause,” she said as reported in Newsday.

John Lobachewski, 63, and his wife, Barbara, 66, of Bellrose, attended the event for the second year in a row. Their favorites were the Cajun seafood chowder and the Italian wedding soup. Both noted that the trip was worth it to enjoy tasting delicious soups for a good cause.

The Archangel Michael community continues to grow and its relatively recently constructed space provides an excellent location for events like the Souper Bowl. After more than 25 years, the Archangel Michael community outgrew its original home. On August 6, 2004 plans for a new church were realized with the purchase of 100 Fairway Drive in Port Washington. On September 25, 2006, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios broke ground for the new church. Construction began in the spring of 2007 and the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated on October 4, 2009. The Church opened its doors to its new, permanent spiritual home, ushering in a new era for the community.

As the now-retired Fr. Dennis Strouzas told TNH, “The parish is doing fine, thank God. There are about 600 stewards/families who are supportive of the church, the entire mailing list is about 700.”