Empty Bowl Supper

Bring In Your Extra Bowls to Support “Empty Bowl Supper”

Club member Dave Wardrup reminded us about Project ECHO, Inc. and their annual fundraiser “Empty Bowl Supper.” Project ECHO, Inc. is a national non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter and supportive housing and this particular event supports Project ECHO in Calvert County, MD.

ECHO house is their 40-bed temporary shelter where men, women and families have 90 days to stabilize their lives and seek permanent housing. The “Empty Bowl Supper” is their one main fund raising activity of the year and

takes place in April and takes place at St. John Vianney Family Life Center in Prince Frederick, MD. Tickets are sold as a fund raiser. People enter the hall and then proceed to choose a bowl. Once they have chosen a bowl they then enter the auditorium and are given bread and soup (they provide Styrofoam bowls so they may return home with a clean and dry bowl). The thought behind this event is this is what could typically be a meal in a shelter bread line and it gives those who attend a new perspective from the homeless and disadvantaged people in the area.

Chesapeake Woodturners has supported this program for the last four years. Prior to our involvement the bowls were always made by potters. Dave says our wood bowls are always the first to go and attendees have commented how much they look forward to buying a new wood bowl. In the past, bowls that are considered to be very well done or unique have been auctioned off either in a silent or live auction.

Bowls can be any size from 5 inches in diameter or larger. Dave will be collecting bowls at our March meeting. Please consider participating and helping out a worthy cause.

The American Association of Woodturners supports this event nationally and collects bowls for the Empty Bowl Supper at their annual symposium. Donated bowls (and other turned items) are sold in the Instant Gallery to raise money for a local nonprofit in the city hosting the symposium. Large or small, each bowl costs only $25. 100% of the 2017 proceeds will benefit Variety the Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City, which provides children with

developmental disabilities adaptive equipment and opportunities for activity and inclusion.