ROCK FALLS – Outside, it was rainy, foggy and gray, but inside, in the cafeteria at Rock Falls High School, it was sunny, warm and bubbling over with generosity.

More than 50 people gathered for the first local soup group Sunday evening.

The local event is part of a national movement based on a simple recipe: People come together to eat soup. They listen to a few proposals about how local groups might use a portion of the proceeds from the event for a worthwhile project, then vote on the project most deserving of the funds. The top vote-getting group leaves with a little cash, and the people leave full and fulfilled.