INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The 18th annual Samaritan Center Soup Bowl will be held county wide on Thursday November 4 from 11: 30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and at several evening locations from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Locations are listed below and are also available on the Samaritan Center website, www.samaritancentervero.org.

Co-chairs Kristen Ashcroft and Shotsi Lajoie are facilitating this community ritual and expect more than 60 restaurants to supply 15 local places of worship with soup as they open their doors to thousands of people who participate. They also anticipate close to twenty-five businesses to open their doors to the public and offer their own soups, last year 5000 were served. The soup is sold for a minimum donation of $5.

The Vero Beach Museum of Art was the location of a workshop where over 1100 wheel-thrown bowls were made by volunteer potters. These will be available at the public Soup Bowl locations for a minimum donation of $10 as will raffle tickets, for $1 each, to win one of five handmade soup tureens, by artists, Glenda Taylor, Sharon and Sean Sexton, Richard Pierce, Sean Clinton and Maria Sparsis.

Tiger Lily Art Studios and Gallery will have the tureens on display from November 4 through the evening of December 3, the night of the drawing. Tickets will be on sale until the drawing.

“This year’s message, ‘breaking bread together for the homeless ‘will be emphasized,’ Said Kristen Ashcroft. “We are asking the whole county to participate by either going to a public location or by joining or hosting one of the private gatherings in homes, offices, churches, clubs and clubhouses.’

“The Soup Bowl is a county ritual,” said Shotsi Lajoie. “We all get together for birthdays, Thanksgiving and other occasions. The Soup Bowl experience can be shared with your family, office neighborhood, condo association, club or church. Unlike other rituals that revolve around meals, this has minimal preparation, soup, bread and water to mirror the experiences of a typical homeless meal.”

Breaking Bread together for the homeless as a community is their mission. Everyone is invited to the public locations and anyone who would be willing to expand and create their own gathering can do so. This year Lee Moore is spearheading a campaign to increase private gatherings so they can send a donation to the Samaritan Center; she can be contacted at (772) 473-4162.

The Samaritan Center provides transitional housing for homeless families with dependent children in Indian River County. Samaritan Center is a program of Catholic Charities and an agency of the United Way. This event raises awareness and funds for homeless families in Indian River County.

Information: Call (772) 770-3039.

Barker Electric, Air-Conditioning & Heating: 1936 Commerce Avenue

Brown & Brown Inc.: 2911 Cardinal Drive

Christ-By-The-Sea United Methodist Church: 3755 State Road A-1-A

Community Church: 1901 23rd street