Empty Bowls 11-3 Sunday at SUNY Cobleskill

11/13/2013

Empty Bowls Schoharie County will ensure nobody goes hungry this Sunday--or through the winter.
The third annual Empty Bowls, the wide-ranging effort to fight hunger, will be in Bouck Ballroom at SUNY Cobleskill from 11am to 3pm.
The concept is simple: People buy a bowl for $6 or more, receive soup donated by restaurants, and get to keep the bowl.
All proceeds go to Schoharie County food pantries.
The bowls are hand-crafted, made by residents and students in the summer and fall.
The 2011 and 2012 Empty Bowls featured more than 600. This year's edition tops those numbers.
"We had more than 750," said Jacqui Hauser, who founded Empty Bowls with Erynne Ansel-McCabe. "The response was overwhelming."
Most of the bowls were painted and fired at Ms. Hauser's Studio for Art and Craft in Cobleskill.
The Best Western hosted the two previous Empty Bowls, but response dictated a move to the college.
"People won't have to give up their seats," Ms. Hauser said. "They can just stay and hang."
Soup and bread will be available from nearly 30 restaurants, including the American Hotel, A Taste of Europe, Schoharie Valley Farms, Justine's, Coby's and many others.
Beverages and ice cream sundaes will also be available.
There will be live music, children's activities, a raffle of celebrity bowls and more.
And although Empty Bowls is an enjoyable community gathering, its purpose is serious.
"Seeing the whole community come together to help people they don't even know with such an important need is what makes all the months of effort worthwhile," said Ms. Ansel-McCabe.
Last year's Empty Bowls raised $4,200. Ms Hauser hopes to break that mark on Sunday.
"For food pantries, getting a check at this time of year is a gif they don't expect," Ms. Hauser said. "They've been very supportive, very appreciative."
Empty Bowls needs volunteers to set up, serve soup, dish up ice cream, take tickets and clean up.
There are two shifts for volunteers, 10-1 and 1-4. To volunteer, call Ms. Hauser at 296-8122.
"Or just show up. We'll put you to work," Ms. Hauser said.
This year's Empty Bowls is co-sponsored by SUNY Cobleskill's Student Government Association.