By CLARE HUISMAN AND NORMA JOHNSON
WABENO – Wabeno Lions Mike and Judy Richmond presented a $500 check to Linda McEwen for the Wabeno Soup Kitchen on behalf of the Wabeno Lions. Donations to the Soup Kitchen will be a regular part of the Wabeno Lions’ budget in the future.
The Wabeno Soup Kitchen was started by Linda to fill a need to reach out to area seniors (55+) when Forest County cut the Meal Site from three days to one. The Wabeno Meal Site is now open every Friday and the last Wednesday of the month. Three other Forest County Meal Sites (Laona, Crandon, and Armstrong Creek) cover the other Wednesdays and different days of the week. If seniors want meals throughout the week, they have to travel to different locations.
Linda came up with the Soup Kitchen idea to replace the lost Wabeno Meal Site days of Monday and Tuesday. You can get a delicious meal on Monday, Tuesday, last Wednesday of the month, and Friday beginning with Bingo at 11:45 am, and the meal is at noon. No reservation is needed and all seniors (55+) are welcome. A $5.00 donation is appreciated but not essential. The location of both Soup Kitchen and Meal Site is the Wabeno Town Hall. All seniors are welcome and should be aware that the programs have nothing to do with income.
The Soup Kitchen is sponsored by NCAC to insure a non-profit status. The menu is posted on NCAC Facebook page and by the county. Linda also has this information at the Soup Kitchen/Meal Site location. A variety of items on the menu include foods like soup, brats, chicken, casseroles, and sloppy Joes. Since opening on January 5th, the Soup Kitchen has served over 870 area seniors. This certainly establishes the need for such a program.
Four delivery volunteers take food to homebound seniors every Monday. The delivery covers both Monday and Tuesday meals and a wellness check opportunity. The Soup Kitchen site in Wabeno also keeps track of regulars for wellness checks. These dedicated volunteers deliver in frigid weather and snowstorms, not just in good weather.
Some groups in the area who support the Soup Kitchen are the Wabeno Lions, the Christian Thrift Store, United Financial, St. Ambrose Christian Ladies, and individual donations. If you would like to make a personal donation to the Soup Kitchen, you can send it to: Linda McEwen, 2570 Trump Lake Rd., Wabeno, WI 54566.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Linda at: 715-889-0123.
The Wabeno Lions would like to thank Linda and her volunteers for giving back to our seniors who have given so much to all of us. The Lion motto is “We Serve”, and Linda McEwen and her volunteers put this motto into practice. Please support the Wabeno Soup Kitchen.
Photo Credit: Wabeno Lions
Published on: Jul 21, 2026 at 1:46 pm