Feature Stories Campus Events All Stories

Annual Souper Bowl Raises Money for W&L’s Backpack Program This year’s event raised more than $10,000 to support the Campus Kitchen’s hunger-fighting project.

By Emily Innes
February 14, 2024

Students enjoy Campus Kitchen’s Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.
Josh Lewis ’24 and his band Jet Stream perform at this year’s Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.
Students enjoy Campus Kitchen’s Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.
Kristina Ayers ’25 and Josh Lewis ’24 perform with their band Jet Stream at this year’s Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.
Sarah Lathrop ’25 serves soup to Ellie Veenhof ’25 at Campus Kitchen’s Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.
Lex Thompson ’27 serves soup to two Lexington community members at the Souper Bowl in Evans Dining Hall.

Washington and Lee University’s Campus Kitchen (CKWL) and community members helped tackle childhood hunger in Rockbridge County in early February with its annual Souper Bowl event. This year’s Souper Bowl raised more than $10,000 to support the Campus Kitchen at W&L’s Backpack Program.

“The 2024 Souper Bowl was a fantastic day filled with community, wonderful soups and talented student musicians,” said Ryan Brink. “Year after year, this event proves to be a highlight of the winter months for me and many others, and I am extremely proud of the work our student leaders put in to make it happen. The event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of local restaurants, caterers and other organizations that provide soup for sampling. The Campus Kitchen thanks them and the Lexington community for their participation and continued support.”

The Feb. 4 event featured 20 local soup creations from 17 participating restaurants, caterers and community organizations, and many were made with locally sourced ingredients. This year’s Souper Bowl participants were Bistro on Main, Campus Kitchen, CHEFS Catering Company, GloBowl Café, Hardens, Heliotrope Brewery, Legendary Eats, Lexington Catering Company, LexVegas Bistro, Napa Thai, Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, Pronto, Pure Eats, the Rockbridge Jewish Community, Sweet Treats, The Georges and W&L Dining Services. The event was also sponsored by Alvin-Dennis, Center of Gravity Yoga and Pilates Studio, Cornerstone Bank, CW Barger and Sons, Flex Fitness, Lex Running Shop, Lexington Smiles, Lexington Women’s Club and the Rockbridge W&L Alumni Chapter. Musical performances by W&L acapella groups Jubilee and General Admission, and student bands Local Honey, Jetstream and Meat Puzzle (Winding Way) helped make it a memorable day for the 650 people who attended.

Lela Casey ’25 currently serves as the treasurer of Campus Kitchen and helped with the coordination and promotion of this year’s Souper Bowl. She worked with the CKWL finance and fundraising team to contact local businesses about participating in the event, managed the student music group performances and promoted the event via social media.

“Souper Bowl is one of my favorite events because it brings together people from the Lexington and W&L communities,” Casey said. “I love seeing how many people support Campus Kitchen and our initiatives.”

If you missed this year’s event, you can still make contributions online to support the Campus Kitchen at W&L’s Backpack Program.

Since 2009, the CKWL Backpack Program has provided non-perishable breakfast, lunch and snack items to children receiving free and reduced lunch in schools throughout Rockbridge County. The program currently delivers 650 backpacks each week to preschoolers, elementary school students and middle school students in the local school districts.