About a month ago I met Ginger Passarelli Senecal, respectfully and gratefully referred to in our area as “The Soup Lady.”

Known as “Mama” to everyone who’s ever met her, several years ago Ginger felt a compelling need to fill a desperate need by those who are “first responders” in times of need and disaster — our fire fighters, police, EMTs, military personnel, search and rescue teams, and so on.  

Several years ago, Mama decided that the folks at her church needed more connection with one another. And so she began bringing pots of soup to the church after services. It was a way to get to know one another! As happens periodically in our area, in 2003 we had a windstorm go through the area that toppled trees, cut our electricity and other essential services. For many of us, it meant that cooking and warm meals were just not available.

Typical of Mama, she helped arrange for members of the congregation to clean up the area, then set up barbeques and portable stoves in the church parking lot to serve … soup!

From that time on, Mama Passarelli began her mission to provide soup to those people who do so much to help all of us.

Mama and her dedicated crew have served soup and provided a friendly face in so many disasters — both local and nationwide. She and her volunteers respond to house fires, search-and-rescue operations, flood relief, hurricane cleanup. They were there for Katrina, they were there for Gustav. They were in Lakewood for days to serve when four police officers were killed. They were even there recently when fire crews rescued a dog that fell over the edge of a cliff in Snoqualmie.

Mama Passarelli owns a home-style restaurant in Black Diamond, Washington. She’s a talented and accomplished cook. Down home meals are definitely her specialty–YUMM!!! You may want to have soup as an appetizer.

While I can only pray that you never have a need to meet Mama because of a personal tragedy, I do encourage you to visit Mama Passerelli’s at 24306 Roberts Drive, Black Diamond.