FAYETTEVILLE - The residents of Northwest Arkansas see a lot of fundraisers and benefits, but they’re often an affair only for the adults. A time when a couple dresses up, hires a baby sitter and buys two pricey tickets for an evening of dinner with business partners and friends, dancing and sometimes shopping for high-end items to help a good cause.

But there’s one growing event that allows all ages to be together at once - Soup Sunday.

It features breads andsoups from more than 30 restaurants and encourages families to attend, with its early hours of 4-7 p.m. and low ticket prices of $20 for adults and $5 for kids. Proceeds benefit Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

Katie Mihalevich, a local architect, is one of the many volunteers for this year’s event and she believes its all-inclusiveness is by far the biggest draw.

“Not only are my kids being raised in a house where [they learn that] service is important, they can come to the event,” Mihalevich said. “Their friendswill be there, there’s dancing, a band playing, it’s a fun event. The timing is perfect for families because it’s not late … [you] can get them home and in bed at a decent hour.”

Mihalevich spent the last nine years working to create the Full Plate Cookbook by the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church congregation and has given this year’s event a little twist: its first silent auction. So far, local businesses, restaurants and families have donated more than 50 items to be sold.

“We’re all pretty excited by how responsive businesses, vendors, restaurants and just the local community people are willing to contribute whatever they can do,” Mihalevich said.

Most of the items are child or family oriented, like the artwork created by children at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center; the family outings to a float and picnic on the Kings River; to a suite at an Arkansas Naturals game; or a birthday pool party for 15; as well as a number of gift certificates to family friendly restaurants.

Arkansas Advocates works to improve the lives of children through education and health care. The auction items reflect that - reduced dental services and a number of cookbooks and “foodie” items to make sure that your children are healthy and wellfed. It’s a big part of why Mihalevich began volunteering for the organization.

“They did a lot of great work getting health care for children and making surethat kids have preschool opportunities, which I always thought of as great and noble,” she said. “I had attended some events prior to having children but once I had my own, something clicked and I wanted to do something where other kids have the same opportunities that my kids had.

“Families shouldn’t have to do without. [These children are] the child next door, the child at the library event next to [mine]. I think it’s important to bring everybody up.”

As a working mother who prefers to always set a homecooked meal on the table, she values high-quality preschool and child care, new recipes and ways to include her children while she’s cooking. She wants others in the community to have the same opportunities for a good home life, too.

“By offering my skills, I can raise a lot more [awareness and funds] for this organization than I would be able to do if I just wrote a check,” Mihalevich said, and she seems to feed off the receptivity of the community. “There’s a really fun energy about seeing other people get excited about a cause. It’s something I feel passionatelyabout and to see others respond is really rewarding.”

In a sort of nod to the locals, the volunteers have taken care to find items with a wide range of affordability,and as many unique items as possible to make it unlike any other silent auction.

The 13th annual Soup Sunday will be 4-7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center. Attendees are encouraged to take a muffin tin to hold the cups for their soup samples. For more information, see aradvocates.org or call (479) 927-9800.

Northwest Profile, Pages 29 on 02/02/2014