Soup’s On aims to raise $100,000 for Alzheimer Society

More than 30 vendors are getting set to participate in this year’s 30th-anniversary edition of Soup’s On in support of the Alzheimer Society Huron Perth.

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Set for this Saturday at the Stratford Rotary Complex, the popular culinary event is one of many being held by the society during January’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

“This is why the Soup’s On event is such an important kickoff to this month of being able to spread awareness in the community for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia,” said Erin Dale, the society’s manager of fund development and communications.

Right now, there are around 3,200 people in the Huron-Perth area who have the disease, Dale noted, but the number of people impacted is significantly higher.

“That doesn’t count any of the care partners. If you add care partners to that, then that number could double, if not triple. We also have a population of more retired people (in the area). If you look at our Huron-Perth community, we do have a lot of baby boomers,” Dale said.

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Entry to the event is by donation at the door, and attendees can then purchase the Soup’s On “currency” at five for $5 to buy samples from the vendors. There will also be a live auction at 12:30 pm, with a chance to bid on a four-course dinner with wine pairings prepared by a private chef for as many as 10 people.

There will also be a kids’ area and entertainment by a number of acts, including:

• The Bannerman Brothers;
• Bette Reynolds (mother of Stratford resident Stewart Reynolds, aka Brittlestar);
• The Stratford District Secondary School Jazz Combo;
• The Stratford Police Pipes and Drums; and
• Strings & Traps.

Donations to the event will be matched up to $30,000 by James Hutton in memory of his parents, Albert and Mona Hutton. Donations will support several local programs administered by the Alzheimer Society, including recreation and counseling, as well as support and educational opportunities for those impacted by dementia.

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“The Alzheimer’s Society is there to support people throughout the entire disease,” Dale said. “We recommend that people reach out as soon as they are experiencing any questions that they might have.”

The society, she added, has programs that provide supports from the early stages of the disease, including its memory and aging program, to the later stages of Alzheimer’s.

While Soup’s On normally sets a fundraising target of $60,000, the society is hoping to raise around $100,000 this year to mark the event’s three decades.

“It totally would be amazing to (raise that much) — to be able to have that impact on the community. It would be incredible to be able to support more people living in our our communities,” Dale said.

Soup’s On runs from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, Jan. 11. Attendees are asked to bring their own spoons to help mitigate the environmental impact of the event. More information and ways to donate can be found at alzheimer.ca/huronperth/en.

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