Unbelievable Support: Empty Bowls fundraisers are Nov. 21 in Fredonia, Dec. 12 in Jamestown
Pictured is Layla Gallaway, a Fredonia student, with a custom bowl at last year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser in Fredonia. Submitted photo
The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser in Fredonia is set for Nov. 21. Pictured is the crowd at last year’s Empty Bowls event at the Wheelock School in Fredonia. Submitted photo
Pictured is Layla Gallaway, a Fredonia student, with a custom bowl at last year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser in Fredonia. Submitted photo
The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser in Fredonia is set for Nov. 21. Pictured is the crowd at last year’s Empty Bowls event at the Wheelock School in Fredonia. Submitted photo
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FREDONIA -- Later this month, one of the area's most impactful fundraisers each year will give patrons a chance to fill their cupboards while also stocking the shelves of food pantries across the county.
The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21, beginning at 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., at Fredonia's Wheelock School gymnasium. Approximately 1,000 custom bowls will be available for purchase at Wheelock, with proceeds to be donated to combat food insecurity in the community through local food pantries supported by FeedMore WNY.
Roughly a dozen professional artists have designed bowls of various styles, sizes and shapes, as well as plates and trays. Brocton Central School students are participating with custom bowls, in addition to the custom pieces created by Ron Nasca, event organizer and owner of Mudslingers Ceramics Gallery in Fredonia.
"There's got to be something for everybody," Nasca said.
Prices vary in increments of $5, with each potter setting the price for their work. Cash, checks, debit and credit cards are all accepted, with a small processing fee for credit card transactions.
Chrissy Conklin, culinary arts instructor at BOCES, is helping students prepare several kinds of cookies for guests at the event. Coffee and hot chocolate will also be available at the event, free of charge. Live music will be played throughout the day, as well.
This year's event has a new area of focus from previous years, as it aims to also fill the empty bowls of our four-legged friends. Guests are encouraged to bring canned dog or cat food to donate to Lakeshore Humane Society and The Pet Pantry in Dunkirk. Guests who bring a can of pet food receive a raffle ticket for a prize at the event.
For his own custom pieces for sale at Empty Bowls, Nasca has used historic local clay from various sites across the county in recent years, including 200-year-old clay from when the Darwin R. Barker Historical Museum was originally constructed, as well as clay from the Haven and Kenyon Pottery site in Sheridan.
This year, Nasca is using clay he dug up in the town of Leon in nearby Cattaraugus County. The clay Nasca found was used by a potter in the mid-1800s. Nasca said the clay he dug up was clean, without any rocks in it, which he said was "really amazing." Nasca's bowls are safe to use in the microwave and the dishwasher.
Empty Bowls fundraisers were first held in the early 1990s in various states across the country to support local communities battling food insecurity. Locally, the tradition began in 2007 at St. John's Church on Central Avenue in Dunkirk. Marvin Bjurlin, a former ceramics teacher at SUNY Fredonia, brought the concept of Empty Bowls to northern Chautauqua County. Bjurlin was a graduate assistant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when John Hartom, a high school teacher, started the first Empty Bowls event in 1990.
Over the past 20 years, between the annual events in Fredonia and Jamestown, Empty Bowls has raised a total of $450,000 to address food insecurity in Chautauqua County. Last year's event in Fredonia resulted in $25,000 raised for FeedMore WNY to be distributed to food pantries throughout the county.
"It's unbelievable," Nasca said of the impact. "I'm really just overwhelmed."
Roughly 500 guests attended the event a year ago, which has become a regular occurrence each year. Still, even as familiar as it becomes, Nasca recognizes the significance of so many people coming back each year to support the cause.
"I want to thank our patrons who come every year. We appreciate them coming. It's truly amazing," Nasca said. "It's a lot of fun, there's a lot of energy, and a lot of people like going and seeing what's new, fun and exciting."
Empty Bowls in Jamestown raised $10,000 last year, which benefited the City Market and other local entities battling food insecurity. This year's event in Jamestown will take place at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Saturday, Dec. 12, located on the corner of Fourth Street and Main Street, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.. Cookies will be available, along with soups from local restaurants.
Sponsors for Empty Bowls in Fredonia include the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Community Bank, Lake Shore Bank, and Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union.
"We really appreciate their help. We can't do it without them," Nasca said.
With any questions prior to the event in Fredonia, contact Ron Nasca at Mudslingers Studio at 716-672-6833.