Marco’s Souper Fundraiser

In a little more than two weeks, the soup will literally be “on” for the entire Marco Island community, with the return of the annual Souper Bowl.

The annual fundraiser for the Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce and its Leadership Marco Scholarship Fund benefits Marco’s graduating high school seniors who are moving on to higher education or vocational school.

Set for February 7, the event revolves around attendees purchasing one-of-a-kind, ceramic bowls, hand-crafted and painted by the island's school children and some community members. The bowls are then filled with delicious soups prepared and donated by Marco eateries.

This will be the Souper Bowl’s twelfth installment. The fundraiser has awarded 71 scholarships totaling approximately $100,000 over the last 12 years, said Lisa Meurgue, who is one of the event organizers.

Donna Niemczyk, the chamber’s programs and events manager, identified a simple reason for the event’s continued success: the community.

“We get support from the schools and organizations and their members, who donate because they want to see this continue on,” she said. “It's a family-friendly event. There's something there for everybody. The restaurants come out with some of their best soups, and it's just a fun time to get together and to be together.”

There will be 10 restaurants taking part in Souper Bowl 2026. Below is a listing, along with the soups the chefs will be serving:

• CJ’s on the Bay - Stuffed pepper soup
• Davide Italian Cafe - Italian Wedding Soup
• Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House - Seafood gumbo
• Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa - Cream of celery bisque
• Island Country Club - New Zealand salmon chowder with fennel and dill
• Mangos Dockside Bistro - Chicken and Corn Chowder
• Quinn’s on the Beach at the JW Marriott Marco Island - Gulf Clam Chowder
• Pinchers Crab Shack - Corn and crab chowder
• Sand Bar - New England clam chowder
• The Italian Deli and Market - Stracciatella alla Romana

Meurgue and her husband Denis were the owners of the French restaurant Bistro Soleil, which was forced to close in 2023 after an inspection found that its home in the Olde Marco Inn and Suites, built in 1883, was structurally unsound and the repairs could not be safely achieved. The restaurant was a regular Souper Bowl participant until its demise.

She cited several reasons for the fundraisers’ popularity with all involved.

“As a previous restaurant owner-participant, it’s a meaningful way to help students and for restaurants and chefs to engage with guests,” she said. “It allows us to give back to a community that support our restaurants.”

Meurgue also pointed to these benefits:

• A clear, compelling goal to raise funds to help local students.
• Winter visitors and local residents have been a strong, captive audience since we started. Guests are engaged and love tasting different soups. It’s a great community event and a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
• A lot of the (organizing) committee has been here since the start, which makes planning a lot easier. We all know our tasks and it’s a great group of women who get things done.
• Guests love to see the different bowls painted by students and local artists.

Souper Bowl 2026 will be held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM but the event location has changed from Mackle Park, where work continues on the airnasium, to Veterans Community Park. Presale bowls will be sold on the bandshell. As with last year, the price of the bowls will be $25 each. Veterans Community Park is located at 901 Park Ave. For more information, please call Donna Niemczyk at 239-394-7549.