Filling Those Empty Bowls
-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on April 12, 2018
The 11th annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser, held at the Floyd County High School cafeteria on Sunday April 8, drew an impressive crowd. A lunch of soups, served in home-made pottery bowls, is the feature of the event.
Proceeds from ticket sales go to fund New River Community Action Center’s Weekend Backpack Program, which sends nutritious food home with eligible school children.
For the price of a lunch ticket, attendees choose from a wide selection of hand-made and donated bowls that they take home after their lunch.
Attendees take their time picking out just the right bowl.
Cory Potrafka and Ron Sutterer are two of the local potters who made and donated bowls. In February Portrafka headed up an open studio at Floyd Center for the Arts for those who wanted to make pots for the occasion. The center donated all the materials.
It was Evelyn and Al Campbell’s first time attending Empty Bowls.
By noon, there was a line waiting to get into the cafeteria, where the home-made soups and bread were being served. Beverages and cookies were also on the menu.
Volunteer Joann Verostko serves a young attendee from the soup buffet.
Young Gaby Lefebvre dishes up some minestrone.
A selection of home-made bread rounds out the meal. She worked alongside her mother.
Mary Hartman, Carol Boyd and Donna Shelor (left to right) enjoyed French onion soup, beet soup and a cabbage stew. Carol Boyd said she comes every year and has a collection of bowls that she marks on the bottom with the yearly dates.
Attendees socialized with laughs and conversation.
Sisters Rachel and Hannah Hylton and their music teacher Scott Perry were some of the musicians that entertained the crowd.
Pat Quesenberry (far right) and her family filled one long table. Quesenberry’s sister and her family come from Maryland every year to attend the event. – Colleen Redman
