Capaha Arrow

Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Campus Events

Student volunteers donate raised funds to six local food pantries in the Cape Girardeau area

Where can you get a handmade bowl, gourmet soups, and dessert all for $12? At the "Empty Bowls" event held annually at Southeast Missouri State University's Dearmont Hall.

On Nov. 11, dozens of students, faculty, and neighbors of the university gathered in Dearmont Hall's basement to enjoy good food and company while giving back to the community. The turnout this year quickly exceeded last year's. Callie Hoffman, one of the student-leaders of the event, said "half an hour in and we've fed over 100 people." Friend and fellow leader Laura Burdick said "we already had to get extra chairs."

Even though the price per ticket increased slightly from last year, patrons still filed in, some buying as many as four tickets so they could pick out multiple bowls. Each bowl was handmade and glazed by volunteers from all around Cape Girardeau. Linda Bohnsack, owner of Garden Gallery on Broadway, volunteered her basement studio to volunteers making bowls for the event. All 843 bowls were made by volunteers from Girl scouts, retirement homes, area high schools, churches, Southeast art classes, and various other groups and organizations. One of the main outside organizers of the event, Bohnsack called pottery-making "an easy way to volunteer. People come back and volunteer because they realize they have fun at the same time."

Professor Philip Dreshfield, new faculty member in the Human Environmental Studies Department, was in charge of all of the food production at "Empty Bowls." He and his culinary arts students spent two days preparing before the event and were in charge of cleaning everything up when it was all over. Dreshfield, former owner of a bakery and café in Kansas City, created the recipes for every dish served at the event - including Crab Corn Chowder and Curried Butternut Squash Soup. He said his students made it look easy as the event provided them "real-world experience."

The "Empty Bowls" event originally began as a class project that Dr. Anne Marietta, Associate Professor of Human Environmental Studies at Southeast, used to teach students about grant writing. The class sent in a grant request that was accepted by the United Way. This grant gave the class $1,500 to purchase clay and glaze for the bowls as well as food to fill them with. Marietta watched the event unfold from the background as students from hospitalities management and dietetics classes ran the show.

Proceeds from the event are donated to six local food pantries. In the past these have included churches, the Salvation Army, and other independent food banks in the area. Last year the "Empty Bowls" event raised around $7,000, and this year is expected to make even more. Using grant money and volunteer workers keeps the price of the event low and helps organizers donate most of their profit.

Beginning next February, planning starts again for "Empty Bowls." Keep your eyes on the calendar for next year's event and opportunities to get involved. The Garden Gallery will be having group classes for volunteers making bowls for the first time. Contact Linda Bohnsack, volunteer organizer, at gardengallery123@charter.net or by phone at 573-332-7123.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools