Soup's On!

Seniors in Robertsdale offering cash prizes at annual soup contest

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 2/12/19

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Participants have an opportunity to win cash prizes during this year’s annual soup contest, which will be held Friday, Feb. 22 at the George P. Thames Adult Activity Center …

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Soup's On!

Seniors in Robertsdale offering cash prizes at annual soup contest

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Participants have an opportunity to win cash prizes during this year’s annual soup contest, which will be held Friday, Feb. 22 at the George P. Thames Adult Activity Center in Robertsdale.

This is the 10th year the Center has hosted the soup contest. Over the last few years, the contest has been held during the February Soup Kitchen which is held the last Friday of every month at the Center.

“We just want everyone to come out and participate in this year’s contest,” said Soup Kitchen coordinator Becky Hayes. “Of course, everyone is welcome to come and enjoy some good soup.”

There will be a $5 fee per entry with proceeds going toward cash prizes for first, second and third place. Proceeds from the event will also go toward sending a team to this year’s Master’s Games, which is held every year in October.

Every year the Center takes a group to participate in the games. In 2018, the Activity Center sent 12 participants to the games, who brought home eight medals, including three gold.

According to the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission Website, the Masters Games of Alabama is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles for active adults age 50 and over through social, mental and physical activities.

They were developed in Oxford in 1989 to provide adults age 50 and above an opportunity to maintain an active lifestyle by participating in a variety of events. Each year, between 600 and 800 participants and volunteers from across the state participate in the games.

Practice for this year’s Master’s Games is currently being held at the Adult Activity Center. Anyone who is eligible to participate in the games is welcome to take part. Practice will include shuffleboard, frisbee, nerf toss, horseshoes, along with other games. Check with the center for a practice schedule.

This will be the 14th straight year participants from the Thames Center will participate in the games, sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, also locally by the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission.

The Thames Center represents District 7, which includes Baldwin, Mobile, Escambia, Conecuh, Washington, Choctaw, Clarke, Wilcox and Monroe counties. Participants also attend locally from Orange Beach, Saraland, Chickasaw and Mobile. District qualifying for this year’s Masters Games begins in the Spring.

The Thames Center serves Robertsdale, Loxley and Silverhill in Central Baldwin. They also have participants from Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Elberta and Malbis.

For more information about the games, go to mastersgamesalabama.org. For more information about activities at the Center, contact Activity Center Director Amy Ochello at 251-947-8973.

Anyone wishing to participate in the soup contest should have their offering set up and ready for judging at 10:15 a.m. on the day of the contest, Hayes said.

The monthly soup kitchen should begin around 11 a.m., or as soon as judging is concluded and awards have been handed out at the Adult Activity Center, located at 22651 E. Chicago St. in Robertsdale.

The soup contest is open to all senior adults, age 50 or older, while the soup kitchen is open to everyone regardless of age, Hayes said.

Now in its sixth year of operation, the soup kitchen is held on the last Friday of every month and while February’s soup kitchen will feature soup, other months have featured a wide variety of foods, from chicken and dumplings, to spaghetti, to tacos and Mexican fare.

“We cook whatever we have available,” Hayes said. “We appreciate all the donations from the community and welcome donations and any volunteers who would like to help out. We understand that there are a lot of winter visitors to the area this time of year and if they are looking for a place to volunteer, we’d love to have them.”

Volunteers are also needed to deliver meals to shut-ins every month, Hayes said.

Hayes said while they will not turn anyone away who needs a hot meal, donations are gladly accepted from those who want to come and support the program.

If you would like to donate, contact the Hayes or Claudia Barbee at the Senior Center, (251) 947-8973, or donations can be dropped off directly at the center.