Barbara Lawlor, Nederland. Bonnie Sundance walked through the door of the Deli, an eager smile on her face. She was greeted by the employees and volunteers behind the counter who handed her a bowl of sweet potato-black bean chili with a piece of crusty bread. She sat at the table and pulled a container of lentils from her backpack as well as chunk of cheese.
Then she went to work on her dinner.
“I am delighted in this gift they give me,” she said between spoonfuls. “Outside of the fact that it’s free, it is very dear and it builds a community.” Bonnie usually brings some food of her own in case the soup of the day is something she can’t eat. The company and the camaraderie is as appealing as the food.
Bonnie comes to Deli before she goes to her folk dancing classes on Monday nights, the Lovin’ Cup free soup and bread night, which was started two years ago, March 18, by Deli owner Ross Alper and a bunch of volunteers. For these first two years, the free suppers were held every other Monday night—but as of this week, they will be every Monday night, thanks to volunteer Annsley Dolan, who will be managing the alternate Monday nights with Ross.
Each week whoever is volunteering to cook gets to decide what soup flavor will be on the menu. Annsley’s sweet potato-black bean chili with avocado slices was a hit on Monday, with people going back for seconds.
“I want to welcome Annsley, our newest Lovin’ cup lead volunteer,” Ross said on Monday. “Tonight is her first night at the wheel and it went perfectly.” Each Monday, enough soup to feed 30 people is made from ingredients donated from various sources in the community. It is usually vegetarian with protein options.
On Monday, three gorgeously decorated cakes were donated to the Deli along with the bread for the evening. Ross says he is planning to expand to enable them to serve larger groups of people, and he is talking about delivering meals to those who can’t make it to the Deli on Mondays. This service could reach from Jamestown to Gilpin County.
“People have started donating us delicious breads and desserts. Together we will hopefully create and sustain something beautiful. Why? Because we all deserve to be loved and cared for by one another. That’s what it’s all about,” says Ross. “All good things ahead.”
Atashnaa Medicine Shield agreed that good things come from the Deli kitchen as she went back for seconds, saying, “They always have delicious soup here.”
