The Opelika Pottery Department is gearing up for the 2018 Empty Bowls Project set for this weekend. The event will take place at Denson Drive Recreation Center on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Empty Bowls is a community-led event that seeks to raise money for the Food Bank of East Alabama. Event attendees can choose one of the many handcrafted bowls, fill it with hot soup and freshly baked bread, and then take it home at the end of the day as a reminder of all of the empty bowls in the world. This year’s event will feature live music, pottery demos and a raffle. Tickets are $10.
The soup bowls are handcrafted by local potters who have volunteered months of time and resources to help raise money for this event. All of the bowls are also microwave and dishwasher safe, ensuring that they will last for years to come.
A new addition to the event this year is the Chef’s Cookbook, a compilation of recipes from local chef’s in our area including David Bancroft (Acre), Eron Bass (Café 123), Scott Simpson (The Depot), Robbie Nicolaisen (The Hound), Jim Sikes (Jimmy’s), Chris Wilson (Bottling Plant) and Graham Hage (Zazu). Cookbooks cost $20 and can be purchased at the event.
Each year the event alternates between the City of Auburn and the City of Opelika. The last time Opelika hosted the event they raised $14,000. This year they hope to increase that to $20,000.
“Considering that the Food Bank of East Alabama is able to turn one dollar into seven meals for people in need, this event has the potential to have a huge impact on our community,” said Sherrie Spain.
The 2018 Empty Bowls event is part of a nationwide movement to alleviate hunger and food insecurity. All proceeds from Empty Bowls will go to the Food Bank of East Alabama, directly helping people in our area. Lee County’s food-insecurity rate is 18.3 percent, meaning that more than 27,000 people in Lee County are struggling to avoid hunger.
For more information on this year’s event please visit 2018 Empty Bowls on Facebook.