MANKATO — Susu and Milad Sadaka, siblings and co-owners of Sadaka’s Deli in Mankato, are in it to win it.
The pair will enter a lobster bisque soup to the Soups for Troops contest Saturday at Mankato’s Loose Moose Saloon & Conference Center. Soups for Troops is an annual fundraiser for local veterans service organizations.
“We are going to upgrade,” said Susu Sadaka, who credits her brother as being the mastermind behind their popular Sadaka’s Deli soups and upcoming lobster bisque. “We want to win.”
Along with the lobster bisque, there will be a cheeseburger and bacon soup and a street corn chowder, among other soups, said Dave Wilkie, Soups for Troops co-chair. Nineteen soups will be featured, submitted by area service organizations, businesses and restaurants.
Attendees will vote on their favorite soups for awards, including the coveted first place People’s Choice Award.
This is the 13th annual Soups for Troops, and Wilkie is expecting to see 150 to 200 attendees. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the downtown restaurant, 119 S. Front St. Last year about $12,000 was raised and he hopes for the same result this year.
It’s the first year Wilkie and his wife, Chrystal, have chaired Soups for Troops, which is put on by Mankato Elks Lodge #225. Wilkie is a 30-year member there and has family and friends who are veterans.
“We just love volunteering for things like this,” he said.
“I don’t miss this event,” said Susu Sadaka. “I’m an Elks too and that’s my biggest thing, is supporting the troops. This is our sixth year doing it.”
Along with the soup contest, the event includes door prizes, a silent auction and raffle. A prized raffle item is a Minnesota Vikings helmet signed by running back Aaron Jones Sr. The silent auction features everything from oil changes to jewelry and Minnesota State University men’s hockey apparel.
“It’s nice for people to support it,” Susu Sadaka said of the fundraiser. “It’s a great cause and it’s growing. They usually have a great crowd. We need to show up for it so hopefully everybody does.”
Soups for Troops tickets are $15 and can be purchased from Elks Lodge members in advance or at the door.