On February 25th, many Auburn community members will be switching out their typical dinnerware for a handmade, one of a kind ceramic bowl. The fourth annual Auburn-Opelika Empty Bowls fundraising event will be taking place that day at the Jan Dempsey Community Art Center.
Empty Bowls benefits the Food Bank of East Alabama and works to spread awareness of hunger in our local community.
For a $20 donation, participants will enjoy a sit down dinner, served in a locally made bowl that they get to take home, as well as live music entertainment and a raffle. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m.
Almost $20,000 has been raised by Empty Bowls over the past four years. Last year’s event alone raised over $12,000. According to Martha Henk, director of the Food Bank of East Alabama, these donations have made a lasting impact. “By acquiring food through local
donations and the national food bank network, every dollar given to the Food Bank enables us to distribute the equivalent of 7 meals to people in need—so each bowl represents 140 meals,” said Henk.
Henk keeps her bowl from last year’s event on her desk as a constant reminder of the people she is working to help. “The empty bowl reminds me of some of the people I have met through my work at the Food Bank: the little girl who tells us that her father suggested she drink lots of water so that her stomach didn’t feel as empty, the mother who said that she sends her children out to play at mealtime hoping that a neighbor will invite them for dinner, the elderly woman in Opelika who was eating canned cat food mixed with rice because she had nothing else to eat, the man who walked into the Community Market after two days without eating and he simply stopped in the aisles to eat right away. These people are who Empty Bowls helps.”
“A lot of times there is a common misconception that there is nobody suffering right around us. You’d be surprised how many people are in need and are either ashamed or don’t really want to admit that they are struggling with food issues paycheck to paycheck. We’re happy to do what we can to help those that could be our neighbors,” said Cari Cleckler, an arts education specialist for the City of Auburn. Cleckler began working with Empty Bowls as an auburn student by making bowls and is now one of the main planners of the event.
Cleckler was drawn to Empty Bowls due to her love of art and the auburn community. She loves that so many organizations in the Auburn community join together to put on this event. “One person can make a small difference but all of us can make a huge difference working together”
Local artists have been working for the past year to create the bowls that event guests will be taking home. “A lot of them (the bowls) are pretty unique. Many of them have intricate decorations and there are a lot of sculpted pieces too. It’s not just your run of the mill bowl that you can go get at Target, it’s a one of a kind, handmade work of art. It’s not something you can go buy in a series, you have the original,” said Cleckler.
Along with a handmade bowl, guests will enjoy live music by The Electric Rangers and Dylan Williams. Martha Henk and other representatives from the food bank will also be speaking. All food served at the event will be donated by local restaurants.
Tickets are on sale now at the Dean Road Recreation Center for $20. Only 200 seats are available, so tickets may sell out quickly. For those unable to purchase a ticket, volunteers are welcome at the event.
On the following Monday after Empty Bowls, February 27th, there will be a second opportunity to come in and purchase a bowl created by local artists. This will take place at the same location as Empty Bowls.
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Gabby Dance, senior in journalism with a minor in women's studies, is the assistant campus editor of The Auburn Plainsman.
