DASO’s SoupStock fundraiser returns for 2025

DASO’s SoupStock will be a chance to gather together, sip on soup, and raise money for services that assist women and children fleeing violence. SoupStock returns on March 26 at Goff Hall. (Sophie Foster Photo)

Emily Stewart, Echo Correspondent

Soup lovers, you can enjoy lots of tasty recipes for a great cause this spring!

SoupStock, a fundraiser supporting Domestic Abuse Services Oxford (DASO), will return on March 26 at Woodstock’s Goff Hall. The event will raise money for services supporting women and children fleeing violence. There will be two SoupStock sittings, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and from 12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Sophie Foster, public education and fundraising coordinator for DASO, said the event will feature soups from a variety of participating businesses and organizations:

• Upper Thames Brewing

• Charles Dickens Pub

• DASO

• Whisk and Roll Bakery

• Ironworks Kitchen

• Boston Pizza

• Craigowan Golf and Country Club

• Chris Seafood

COBS Bread will also supply the buns and there will be a Golden Ladle Award for the winning soup selected by a panel of five local judges, including Woodstock Mayor Jerry Acchione, as well as the People’s Choice Award for the crowd favourite soup.

"We'll have some good music playing, and we'll have some speeches from DASO staff. It'll just be a really fun day,” Foster said. “Last year was super fun, and oh my gosh, the soups were amazing and we were able to raise some good money. We're hoping to essentially have a similar event as last year."

Foster added that co-workers can go to SoupStock on their lunch break, and friends and family can attend the event together to try out different soups, whether or not they are familiar with DASO’s programming.

“It's also a cool way to check out restaurants, see the kind of food that they offer, and it's a fun way to see everyone you know in the community,” she said. “Honestly, it's a great networking event where you can see your friends or just come for lunch in the middle of your workday."

As funding for DASO has not changed since 1995, events like SoupStock are essential to keep the organization running.

"We rely on our community and on sponsorship and on fundraising events to continue doing our programming to meet the level of the population and just the rising levels of gender-based violence and just all of the issues that we're seeing in general in our communities so really these events are so important,” she said. “They really do create a bit of stability for us in the sense that, you know, every year when we host an event, there are so many people that we can count on to help us and lots of community support too."

Tickets for SoupStock are $20 in advance and can be purchased either at Whisk and Roll Bakery, Your Farm Market or by sending an email to sophie@daso.ca. Tickets can also be Purchased for $25 at the door.