DUNKIRK - The Chautauqua Area Potters will host the 2012 Empty Bowls annual fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the St. Hedwig's Social Center of Blessed Mary Angela Parish, 324 Townsend St., Dunkirk.
At the event, people pick out a bowl of their choice, make a tax-deductible contribution and are served a simple meal of soup in the bowl. Subsequently the bowl is washed and wrapped to take home to be kept or perhaps given as a gift. The bowls come in sizes designed to acknowledge contributions of $10, $20 and $30. There will also be several specially designed bowls that will be given away during the event.
Students from the Culinary Arts Program at BOCES, under the supervision of David Caccamise, will prepare several special soups out of ingredients donated by area gardeners and merchants. At least one of the soups will be vegetarian. Live entertainment will be organized by popular area musician Tom Gestwicki.
Article Photos
Pictured are some of the more than 1,000 ceramic bowls for the 2012 Empty Bowls Fundraiser.
The event is sponsored by the Chautauqua Area Potters, a group of the area's professional and amateur potters. Many of these individuals work together at Mudslingers, the pottery studio owned and operated by Ron Nasca in downtown Fredonia. Others in the group work in their own studios.
This year, the Chautauqua Area Potters and a few local potters have created more than 1,000 bowls. Artists include: Marv Bjurlin, Ron Nasca, Michele Ballachino, Dale Bowen, Stephanie Brash, Cody Britton, Lucy Bryant, Ann Burns, Paula Coats, Cynthia Fitzgerald, Tony Georgakis, Doreen Gould, Marilyn Hall, Elliott Hutten, Ann Janik, Megan Johnson, Debbie Kotar, Ted Lee, Marc Levy, Duane Mallaber, Marcia Merrins, Don Parge, Cindy Recklin, Jim Reno, Pat Reno, David Rudge, Carol Samuelson, Sally Turner, Gary Vellan and Lauri Zebracki.
While numerous individuals have created the beautiful, one of a kind ceramic bowls, none are signed by the maker. Instead, they are imprinted with the "Empty Bowls" logo, continuing to remind the user that there are hungry persons in the world.
For more information, call Marvin Bjurlin at 672-9151 or email bjurlin@mac.com or call Ron Nasca at Mudslingers 672-6833. More information is also available at www.facebook.com/fredoniaemptybowlsproject.