COVID-19 cancelled event after event over the past eight months.
Empty Bowls Schoharie County won’t be one of them.
The benefit that aids local food pantries will be 11am next Sunday, the 15th, at Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, with special safety rules.
Having organized the previous eight Empty Bowls, Jacqui Hauser at first was hesitant about holding the ninth during a pandemic.
“But the more I thought about it, the more I thought we really should have it this year more than ever,” Ms. Hauser said.
“Something that’s really amazing about Schoharie County is our access to food. But it doesn’t come from nowhere. If food pantries ever needed help, it’s this year.”
The basics are the same as in past years: Buy one of 400 specially designed bowls and get eight ounces of soup from one of 23 restaurants on the 15th.
But the process is different. People must order soup, reserve a bowl and sign up for a time slot. When someone arrives, a volunteer will check the order and allow the person to walk through the line and pick out a bowl. Soup and ice cream are at the end of the line.
Time slots are every 15 minutes starting at 11am.
People must wear masks and bring a box to carry the soup and bowls.
Social distancing is mandatory.
If people are too cautious to go inside, a volunteer will pick out a bowl and soup and deliver them curbside.
As required, Ms. Hauser submitted a plan to the County Health Department, and “they and the experts at the school district were really helpful,” she said.
A bowl and eight ounces of soup are $16. Soup to go with no bowl is $7, and 24 ounces of soup, $18.
Ice cream sundae kits, provided by Stewart’s, are $2.
People can place an order at emptybowlssschoharie.org. Any questions, email emptybowlsschoharie@gmail.
Helping sponsor Empty Bowls are The Sterling Foundation, Cobleskill Partnership Inc., Fusion Community Church and Ms. Hauser’s The Studio for Art and Craft.