Benefit supports food bank

St. Mark's United Methodist Church will play host to its seventh annual Soup Bowl Benefit, a community event to raise funds for the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, 5 p.m. Sunday. \nAs is the custom, local potters donated hundreds of handmade bowls. Local restaurants contributed soups and breads, and entertainment is provided to add to the atmosphere.\nThis year's musical guest artists include local bands "Kid Kazooey" and the "Ballroom Roustabouts."\nThe Soup Bowl Benefit brings together volunteers from all over the community who work together to ensure that the event is successful and enjoyable, said event volunteers.\nDan Taylor, an employee at the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, said without contributors, the Soup Bowl would not be as successful.\n"It's a way for us to continue what we do here at the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, which is to rescue food and make it available to hungry people," Taylor said.\nPrincess Restaurant has been a prime contributor to the benefit for the past three years. \nThe manager of the restaurant, Mohammed Elbekhty, said its motivation in donating food is to help with the cause of feeding those less fortunate.\n"It's a community kitchen," he said. "That soup is gonna fill someone's stomach and not make them hungry." \nA variety of restaurants plan to donate food to the event, including the Siam House, Le Petit Cafe and Flora. \nThe manager of Michael's Uptown Cafe, Tim Hommey, said he feels that by contributing to the benefit he is maintaining a generous reputation and closeness to the community. \n"Since Uptown is locally owned, we work closely with the community on a variety of things," he said. "We donate a lot of services to the Middle Way House and other organizations in order to maintain a strong sense of community ties. We feel it's like a civic duty"