Soup's on!

Lily Fannin carefully brought out hundreds of soup bowls

Dinner for 800.

Or maybe more.

The Masonic Center was transformed by volunteers Sunday afternoon into Racine's most popular restaurant. It holds that distinction one day a year -- today!, if you're reading this on Monday, March 1 -- during the Empty Bowls benefit for the Racine County Food Bank and the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization shelter. For two meals, lunch and dinner, hundreds will enjoy a hearty bowl of soup, home-made bread and beverage -- all proceeds going to feed the hungry.

Diners first get to choose a hand-made ceramic soup bowl -- some made by professionals, others by local organizations or school children -- and then their choice of soup to fill it. The soups are provided by local restaurants; nothing against Campbell's, but none of these come from a can! When the meal is over, diners get to take their bowl home.

Event co-chair Heidi Fannin was supervising the volunteers Sunday afternoon, none more enthusiastic than her daughter Lily, 7, who was busily putting out hundreds of colorful bowls on tables in the Masonic Temple's long hallway. Bowls of every color, various shapes; many defying description, left. Word to the wise: come early for the best selection (although not all will be put out at the start, so a varied selection will be available at all four seatings).

Servings are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., all at the Masonic Center on Main Street. Use the 1012 Wisconsin St. entrance. Various community officials and civic leaders will be serving up the soup; if who serves your soup is important to you, check here for their scheduled serving times.

The cost for "a simple meal of soup, bread and beverage" -- and a hand-made bowl to keep -- is $15 for adults. Kids younger than 10 eat for $5; soup to go is $7.