By Amy Leffingwell—
MUNCIE, IN—Near perfect temps and a light breeze set the tone for The Soup Kitchen of Muncie’s annual Carl Kizer Summerfest on Friday, July 21st. Summerfest, organized by Carl Kizer, is an outdoor block party for the underserved in our community. Carl also helped find sponsors and donations so that the event would be a success. Over 30 local service providers were in attendance to offer their services and help lead clients of the Soup Kitchen toward a better lifestyle. Unable to host since 2019 due to the pandemic, the community was glad to see the event back.
Soup Kitchen volunteers cooked and served over 200 people. Pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, cookies and watermelon were on the menu. Live music was provided by Howell’s DJ Service and Sprinkles of Stardust provided face painting. A coloring contest was offered to the kids in attendance as part of Carl Kizer’s efforts to keep kids away from drugs and off the streets.
Adult guests were given a punch card and encouraged to visit at least 10 service agencies for a chance to win a twenty-five dollar Walmart gift card plus other donated items.
Summerfest could not have happened without the generous support of its sponsors. This year, 17 sponsors (businesses, individuals, and neighborhood churches) donated in some way to make the event a success.
