Big changes for the 2010 Itasca Empty Bowls Project

While it is true that change IS in the air, Empty Bowl’s commitment to ending hunger in Itasca County stands strong. Here are the headlines:

Timberlake Lodge on April 15

After much discussion, The Empty Bowls committee will move the event from the lovely but cramped space at the MacRostie Art Center to the lovely and spacious Timberlake Lodge.  And we’ve changed the date to dodge March’s unpredictable weather so mark your calender for April 15. It’s purely coincidental that the 15^th is also “Tax Day”, but a great way to remember Empty Bowls!   

Goodbye “Open Bowling”, Hello “Paint a Bowl”

Clay artist Cyrus Swan producing bowls for community volunteers to glaze

Striking a balance between providing opportunities for the community to create bowls and the sanity of an all volunteer committee has in the past been a challenge, and this year thanks to clay artists Cyrus Swann from Pine River and Nathan Bray from Bemidji we think we’re getting closer!

Cyrus and Nathan recently spent a weekend in MacRostie’s 3D Studio “throwing” bowls for the event. Their bowls have been bisque-fired and are ready to be glazed. So we’re saying goodbye to “Open Bowling” and hello to “Paint a Bowl”. Call the MacRostie at 218.326.2697 for details and to schedule a “Paint a Bowl” party for your family, group or organization. 

In its ninth year, Empty Bowls unites local artists, teachers, students, volunteers, businesses, and our hunger relief organizations – Second Harvest Food Bank and the Community Café – to raise awareness about food insecurity in our area and raise money to lessen its impact.

September is Hunger Action Month

We’re bringing the Empty Bowls Blog online to help our friends at Second Harvest get the word out about Hunger Action Month.

Greetings Second Harvest Friends & Volunteers!                           

Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, in conjunction with Feeding America, announces the second annual Hunger Action Month, a nationwide call-to-action effort to mobilize people everywhere to get involved with ending hunger in America.

One in eight Americans struggles with hunger. That’s why Feeding America and Second Harvest North Central Food Bank are asking everyone to take action in September during Hunger Action Month and Give a Little, Feed a Lot.

There are many ways to get involved and Give a Little Money, Give a Little Time, Give a Little Voice.  We are counting on you, our dedicated volunteers, to help make Hunger Action Month a success.  Here are the opportunities that will be available:

•  Donate what you typically spend on lunch – for a day, a week or a month, whatever you can.  Just $5.00 will help provide at least 15 meals.
  • Put your “lunch money” in the brown bag at the front desk when you come in to the food bank in September. 
  • Organize a “give your lunch money” challenge with your friends or co-workers.  Collection Lunch Bags are available!
• Pampered Chef Cooking Demo/Fundraiser September 16 2-4pm Second Harvest Kitchen
  • See fine cooking products demonstrated, taste some treats and purchase equipment.  Proceeds will go toward new kitchen equipment at the food bank. RSVP to Sue or Michelle if you can attend.
• Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast Grand Rapids Saturday September 19^th from 8-10am
  • Purchase a $5.00 ticket and eat breakfast with other food bank fans that day.
  • 15 Volunteers are needed to help serve that day.  Please let us know if you can help.
• Bloomer’s Garden Center Scare Away Hunger Friday, Sept 25 and Saturday Sept 26^th  
  • Make a scarecrow with your family, proceeds go to Second Harvest    9am-5pm
  • Volunteer to help – a few fun-loving people are needed each day.  Let Ellen know if you are able to help.
• Itasca Area CROP Walk Sunday October 4^th
  • Walk to raise money and awareness of hunger locally and in the world.  25% of the funds raised go to Second Harvest.

 There are many ways for you to plug in and take action.  Thanks for your efforts to end hunger by taking action this September.

2009 Empty Bowls Project Wrap Up

I just reread my last post, and hope know one’s been waiting for Part II – the event-day video. After several attempts to splice footage together, I truthfully lost momentum and gained a great appreciation for film editors.

Today I’m posting to let you know that the Empty Bowls planning committee met last week to debrief the event. This year, thanks to the collaboration of many and the support community, we were able to write checks for $3,300 each for the Community Cafe and Second Harvest Food Bank! This money will go a long way in aiding their missions of alleviating hunger. The committee sends out a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in Empty Bowls 2009!

The thing is, fighting hunger is like house work – you’re never really done. Economic indicators confirm that the recession persists, and reading Saturday’s Grand Rapids Herald Review brings news of more layoffs. The planning committee has already started researching ways to expand the reach of Empty Bowls in 2010. We’re going to take a little time off, and when we start planning in earnest, we’ll use the blog to keep you informed, and let you know about opportunities to get involved. For now, I’ll share with you with one of my all time favorite quotes:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

2009 Empty Bowls Event – Part 1

These may look like bowls ~ in reality they are a promise to end hunger

I’ve started putting together a short video from last Friday’s event, which I hope to share with Itasca Empty Bowls Project blog readers soon. For now, here’s a link to photos from the event. Enjoy!

March Foodshare Month – stretching dollars to fight hunger

It’s going to take me a bit to “produce” the video and upload the photos from yesterday’s Empty Bowls – which was a big success btw – so in the meantime I’m happy to help spread the word about the Minnesota Foodshare March Campaign.

I caught up with Ellen Christmas, manager of the Grand Rapids Food Shelf, to ask her why it’s so important to our local hunger efforts to donate. I found out that for every $10 donated, the Food Shelf can purchase almost 60 pounds of food! Their ability to stretch donations far beyond what you or I could if we did the shopping. And, during March Foodshare Month, there’s a match of sorts that stretches those dollars even furhter.

Here’s what Ellen had to say…

Time to pause and give thanks

The first post to the Empty Bowls Project blog opened with these words:

Coming together as a community to help feed hungry people is at the heart of the Empty Bowls Project.

And what a community it is. Teachers and students, potters and restaurateurs, bakers and citizen volunteers, non-profits and for-profits; people of all ages and experience levels make the bowls that, come March 6, will be purchased along with a bowl of soup by people who come out in support of a good cause.

The day has arrived! Before we open the doors at the MacRosite, it seems very appropriate to take a moment to pause, acknowledge, and send out a huge THANK YOU to everyone who’s brought the project this far.

SILENT AUCTION DONORS

Bill Gossman, Karen Olson, Joan Beech, LuAnn Hansen, Mike Jasper, Tom Page, Bob & Lisa Stein, Nathan Bray, Jose Sanchez, Sandy Schildt, Lars Voltz, Hayes Kids

SCHOOLS

Kathy Jasper & GRHS Art Students

Sherrie Gusa RJE Middle School Students

Dennis Peterson & Deer River High School Art Club

Diane Levar & Greenway Art Students

Greenway Key Club

Lin Benson & Northland Remer Art Students

Dawnette Davis & Conner-Jasper Middle School Art Students

Holly Brison & Nashwauk Keewatin Art Students

Tanya Borgerson & ICC Art Students

Southwest Elementary: Nancy Mike-Johnson, Ginny Pagel, Patrick Hanna, Charlie Schweigert 3rd and 4th Grade Students, Patty Holycross and Parent Volunteers

Stephanie Martin & Cohasset Home School Students

Bovey Coleraine Youth Center Teens

Kraig Dibb & Northern Lights Community School

VOLUNTEER ARTISTS: Joan Beech, Karen Olson, Sandy Schlidt, Verna Prebeg, Mary Downham, Pat Schmidt, Tom Page, Mike Jasper, Mary Augustyn, Pernille Otteson, Lin Benson, Sue Mertz, April Keilen, Roberta Steinhart, Jose Sanchez, Nathan Bray, Staci Taylor, Lars Voltz (BSU) and LuAnn Hansen.

FOOD and MATERIALS – DONORS AND SPONSORS

Brewed Awakenings

Bixby’s Café

Forest Lake Restaurant

Wylde Thyme Too! Catering

Pizza Works

Sawmill Inn

Ruttger’s Sugar Lake Lodge

Barb’s Korner Kitchen

Craiglow’s Cake Kingdom

Sandstrom’s

Janicke Bakery

GRHS Key Club

Greenway HS Key Club

IRC

Daybreakers Kiwanis

Community Presbyterian

Second Harvest Food Bank

Minuteman Press

Matt Cheney & the Sentenced to Serve Crew

Media: Grand Rapids Herald Review, KMFY/KOZY, ICTV, KAXE

Special Thanks: MacRostie Art Center – Paula Brandel, Mandie Aalto, Amanda Lamppa and Men of MacRostie: Tom Page & Mike Jasper and friends

Music: Holly Newton and her piano students

Empty Bowls Clay Committee: LuAnn Hansen, Joan Beech, Karen Olson

OPEN BOWLING: Many thanks to LuAnn Hansen, Karen Olson, Joan Beech and MacRostie volunteers: Bryan Maas, Frank Hansen, Sandy Schildt, Tom Page, Mike Jasper, Mary Augustyn, Mary Downham, Verna Preberg, Maurie Embery, Mike Miltz, Donnie Dorner, Christopher Hofer, April Keilen, Bill Keilen, Sue Mertz, Mary Metzger, Michaela Couglan, Patty Holycross, Becky LaPlant, and Margaret Z

IRC Empty Bowls pre-event: Becky Boelter, Linda Reed, Susan Jordahl-Bubacz

Greenway High School pre-event: Diane Levar & Gwen Geisler, Vickie Azure, Allison Butterfield, Good Times Pizza-Jerry Markovich, Susan Jordahl-Bubacz, Lynn Roberts, Susan Gerzina, Ogle’s Country Market, Tianna Seeley, Pat Ollila, Joann Norby-Davis, Dan Adams, Jim ”Bird” & Kayley Lawson

Empty Bowls Committee: Susan Jordahl-Bubacz, LuAnn Hansen, Audrey Moen, Mandie Aalto, Joan Beech, Sue Estee, Becky LaPlant, Kathy Loucks and GHS Key Club

Empty Bowls Project Blog – Becky LaPlant

Now it’s up to you to come out and support the cause. Thank you!

Empty Bowls FAQs

Empty Bowls is this Friday, and people have been asking me a bunch of questions about the event.

I figure since some are asking, others might be wondering so thought an Empty Bowls FAQ would be in order about now.

If I don’t get another post out before Empty Bowls, we hope to see you Friday at the Mac with a bowl in hand!

Q: What are the serving hours?
A: We’ll be serving this Friday from 11 am – 2 pm. The silent auction, which so many people look forward to and participate in, will close at 4:30 pm.

Q: Where do I buy tickets?
A: To save costs, we didn’t print tickets this year. We’ll be accepting cash and checks at the door, and people will get a hand stamp to pick out their bowl and get their lunch.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: Tickets are $10 each. This buys the experience of selecting a hand-crafted bowl and having lunch at the MacRostie with your friends and neighbors.

Q: Will there be vegetarian soups?
A: Yes! This year we have an impressive variety of soups including several vegetarian options.

Q: Who makes the soup?
A: We are blessed to have in our community restaurateurs and caterers who are both generous and good cooks! This year, the soup is being donated by Wylde Thyme Too!, Forest Lake Restaurant, Brewed Awakenings, Sawmill Inn, Bixbys, Pizza Works, Barb’s Korner Kitchen, and Ruttger’s. And once again, long-time Empty Bowls supporters Janicke Bakery and Craiglows will be supplying the bread.

Q: Will there be music?
A: Yes! Holly Newton and her piano students have participated in the Empty Bowls event for several years. When asked why she’s involved, Holly said, “We all feel that this is a worthwhile event and support it in the way we know how… playing music and bringing in our families”.

Empty Bowls in the news

Second Harvest Executive Director and Empty Bowls committee member Sue Estee will be on the 91.7 KAXE Morning Show this Wednesday at 7:20 to talk about the project and Friday’s event. KAXE is in the middle of its Stay Warm Winter Fundraiser so I’m wondering if Scott Hall and Maggie Montgomery plan to conduct the interview with Sue from the sauna that’s recently been constructed in the studio. Tune in to find out!

Also, we’ve received some great coverage by the Grand Rapids Herald Review!

It takes a village’
By Marie Nitke
Grand Rapids Herald-Review
Published: Saturday, February 28, 2009

and

Student potters for Empty Bowls
Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 3:08 PM CST

To read articles online you must be a registered user. The form is short and easy to complete. If you’re like me, remembering your user name and password is the challenge!

Engaging the community to end hunger

In 2008, the Grand Rapids Food Shelf provided free supplemental food to an average 633 unduplicated household visits each month, making food available to over 1,624 individuals on a monthly basis, 38% or 617 of those individuals were children under the age of 18.

Writing for the Empty Bowls Project is giving me the opportunity to become more informed about the depth of hunger issues here at home. My first stop was our local Second Harvest website. Their homepage gives a short, sobering, and informative overview of the services that they provide to a growing number of our friends and nieghbors. I’m featuring it today in the hope that you find it of interest too!

Hunger is real in North Central Minnesota. Every day people living in our small towns and rural areas go hungry because they don’t have enough food to eat. Second Harvest North Central Food Bank has been helping local people meet basic food needs for over 20 years.

Second Harvest North Central Food Bank provides food directly to individuals and to agencies that help people in seven counties in north central Minnesota. Each year 31,500 people in this area seek emergency food assistance from Second Harvest or our 145 partner agencies. Each week we help an estimated 4,900 people. (as reported by “Hunger in America 2006″)

Second Harvest is a vital link between food donors and people in need. We partner with food wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and growers, the USDA and local organizations and individuals to accept surplus food and government commodities and redistribute good quality food and grocery products to over 30 food shelves, and many child and senior nutrition programs, soup kitchens and shelters.

For more information on our programs and member agencies, check out the Get Help page.

Second Harvest North Central Food Bank member of Feeding America, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest. Feeding America is the nations largest hunger relief charity, representing a network of over 200 food banks in the United States. Our membership ensures donors, partner agencies and food recipients that we meet the highest standards of food safety, efficient distribution and governance.

We are able to distribute over 3 million pounds of food annually because of our partner relationships with Feeding America, and the other five food banks in Minnesota:

• Channel One Food Bank – Rochester, MN
• Great Plains Food Bank – Fargo, ND
• Second Harvest Heartland – Twin Cities
• Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank – Duluth, MN
• North Country Food Bank – Crookston, MN

We are also a member of Hunger Solutions Minnesota, a state-wide partnership of organizations fighting hunger.

For more information, check out their homepage, which currently features a link to Sue Estee’s Blog, a group photo of their board of directors, and a feature about Second Harvest employee Rick Fox.

Key Club is, well, key to the success of Empty Bowls

Key Club members have been active in the Empty Bowls Project since its inception.

Empty Bowls is in its ninth year in Grand Rapids, and the Key Club has been there every step of the way. According to committee member LuAnn Hansen, Key Club members made the very first bowls for the first event. What is Key Club? What do they do? Why do they support Empty Bowls? These are the questions I asked Sarah Rutherford and Hillary Legler, the Key Club reps on the planning committee. Here’s what they told me.

Key Club is an organization that is meant to bring kids out and act as volunteers in the surrounding community. Key Club is actually the same as Kiwanis just based in the high school.

Being part of Key Club means getting involved in our community and acting as volunteers to better our community. We fundraise for different organizations, walk dogs and play with cats at the Star of the North Humane Society, help with carnivals, help with Project Read, and Empty Bowls.

Hillary: I joined the Empty Bowls team because I see it as a great way to show my community that I care, and it is a fun way too. Everything Empty Bowls represents is a wonderful thing. It is a great event to participate in. My favorite Key Club activity is Connected People. This is where some of us volunteer and we go spend time with fourth graders at Southwest Elementary School.

Sarah: I am the president of the Greenway Key Club. I have come across many opportunities to help people through Key Club, one of which is Empty Bowls. I believe Empty Bowls is an amazing event that benefits a great cause-hunger. Hunger is a huge issue worldwide, not to mention locally. I love that, through leadership and artistic ability, we are helping fight the hunger that is ever present in our communities.