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Holiday Healing in the Daily Chronicle

Feed’em Soup provides meal for ‘Holiday Healing Benefit’


By ANDREW MITCHELL - amitchell@shawmedia.com

Created: Monday, December 19, 2011 5:30 a.m. CST

DeKalb musician Jaysen Curran entertains diners Sunday at Feed’em Soup during the fourth annual “Holiday Healing Benefit” meal. Curran would join a handful of other local musicians later at the House Cafe in DeKalb for a benefit concert. (Andrew Mitchell – amitchell@shawmedia.com)

DeKALB – With Christmas only six days away, Feed’em Soup President Randi Kennedy said she knows there’s no shortage of free meals being offered to those in need.

“It’s a busy time of the year, and everybody wants to give,” she said Sunday, during her organization’s “Holiday Healing Benefit” meal.

On Saturday, Evangelical Free Church in DeKalb also held a free holiday meal, and there are at least three more meals scheduled for the coming week. Sycamore High School donated to Feed’em Soup more than 5,000 items, ranging from food to clothes, for which the group needed to make two trips to collect, Kennedy said.

Sunday’s Feed’em Soup meal wasn’t a solo venture. Normally, the group hosts free community meals from it’s operating base at 122 S. First St. in DeKalb on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.

But for the second consecutive year, Feed’em Soup hosted the Holiday Healing Benefit, organized by Spook Show Entertainment, a DeKalb-based production company that specializes in benefit events.

Kennedy said SSE donated $150 to pay for the meal and brought in local musicians to entertain while people ate. Any money or canned food items donated during the meal and concert benefited Feed’em Soup.

Willy Adkins, president of SSE, said the idea behind the benefit – now in its fourth year – is to gather local musicians, artists and volunteers to give back to their community, as opposed to a national organization.

Five local musicians played while more than 100 people enjoyed an afternoon meal of meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, glazed carrots, scalloped potatoes and peach cobbler.

Afterward, most of the same musicians moved to The House Cafe, at 263 E. Lincoln Highway, to continue the benefit concert until midnight.

Jason Sullivan, vice president of SSE, said after 2010’s benefit show, it was a no-brainer to partner with Feed’em Soup again this year.

“We have the same wants – to give back to the community here,” he said.

He said coming up with the lineup for the benefit also wasn’t difficult for them.

“I think that speaks to the community itself. There’s a good vibe and a good number of people who want to give their time and talent,” he said.

Free meals offered this week

• 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Cathedral of Praise, 1126 S. First St. in DeKalb. Community is welcome.

• 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday at DeKalb Community Center, 330 Grove St. in DeKalb. Roast beef dinner open to anyone in the community. To arrange a ride, call 815-758-6641.

• 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Flippin Eggs, 831 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb. Annual free dinner for those in need.

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