12th Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner benefits local soup kitchens and food pantries. 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13.
By Heather Templeton '10
After a year's absence, the 12th Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner returns again to the Virginia Wesleyan College campus from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13.
The event, sponsored by the Ceramics Designers Association and Virginia Wesleyan, features a night for the community to raise money and awareness of hunger in the Hampton Roads area.
"The bowl serves as a reminder that someone's bowl is always empty," said Director of Community Services Diane Hotaling. "It's an easy way to engage and demonstrate our support of hunger efforts."
Attendees of the event come through the Jane P. Batten Student Center into the Marlin Grille, which is set up as the "bowl room." Each participant will have the opportunity to choose their own bowl to take home and keep. Each bowl has a slip of paper inside with facts about hunger to educate the buyers.
Phyllis Canupp '04, chair of the Ceramics Designers Association Empty Bowls event, is excited to be able to host the event once again at her alma mater.
"I cannot think of a better venue for the event," said Canupp. "Most importantly, my hope is that every attendee will come away from the event feeling like they have made a difference in someone's life by contributing to a cause bigger than themselves."
Canupp said guests can look forward to experiencing a fun event featuring over 800 bowls, a dinner of soup, live entertainment and a silent auction.
A soup dinner provided by Sodexo offers attendees Maryland crab, corn chowder, minestrone and a turkey chili. Most of the ingredients for the soups are donated by Sodexo and produce companies, while Sodexo volunteers donate their time to prepare the meal for the guests.
"It makes sense for a food company to give back with food," said Tim Lockett, general manager of dining services at Virginia Wesleyan. Lockett and his staff have helped to provide more than 16,000 meals a year for the community through Cooking for Kids and other hunger efforts at the College.
According to Canupp, cumulatively Ceramics Designers Association and the College have raised over $100,000 to feed the hungry in the Hampton Roads area. The money is distributed to local charities including the Help and Emergency Response (HER) Shelter, Judeo Christian Outreach Center, Oasis Social Ministry and Union Mission Ministries.
Tickets for the 12th Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner are $20, and include a handmade bowl, a soup dinner, entertainment and a silent art auction. Tickets can be purchased in the Virginia Wesleyan College Scribner Bookstore, located in the Jane P. Batten Student Center across from the Donald M. Forsyth Court. Only 700 tickets will be sold.
For more information, contact Virginia Wesleyan's Office of Community Service at 757.455.3216.
03.04.09