Souper Bowl volunteers Andrea Moore, Andrew Colabella, Robert Hauck, Maria Fraioli and Steven Chin.
Souper Bowl volunteers Andrea Moore, Andrew Colabella, Robert Hauck, Maria Fraioli and Steven Chin. / Contributed photos

WESTPORT — Members of several community groups huddled Saturday outside Stop & Shop to gather food for those in need.

This year’s Souper Bowl Food Drive gathered 698 brown bags of non-perishable food — a record — for the Westport Human Services pantry at the Gillespie Center.

From left, Officer Sean Doyle, Officer Daniel Lovallo, a resident of the Gillespie Center, Chief Foti Koskinas, RTM/Police Athletic League member Andrew Colabella, Anna Rycenga, Officer Scott Thompson and Officer Dominique Carr. / Contributed photo
From left, Officer Sean Doyle, Officer Daniel Lovallo, a resident of the Gillespie Center, Chief Foti Koskinas, RTM/Police Athletic League member Andrew Colabella, Anna Rycenga, Officer Scott Thompson and Officer Dominique Carr.

On hand were members of the Police Department, the Representative Town Meeting, Board of Selectwomen, Police Athletic League and Sunrise Rotary.

Food was gathered from shoppers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in advance of Super Bowl Sunday.

Shoppers were generous on one of the biggest food holidays in the U.S., second only to Thanksgiving.

Several shoppers came out with full carts for the drive. One of them retrieved two items, and donated the rest of the cart, saying “Enjoy!” a volunteer reported.

The drive is run by the Westport Police Department in conjunction with the Sunrise Rotary and Homes for Hope. It was organized for the 14th year by Anna Rycenga, former Conservation Commission chairwoman and a member of the WPAL.

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