“Empty Bowls” raises $8000 to fight hunger

By Christine Anne Piesyk | February 13, 2009 |

A sampling of bowls created by volunteers

Large bowls.  Small bowls. Soft muted colors or bright flamboyant tones. each bowls signed by its creator and donated to to benefit locals social service programs in their  fight to end hunger.

Empty Bowls Clarksville 2009 was held Thursday at the Montgomery County Civic Center, and each of those bowls was sold — hundreds of them, raising a total of $8000 to be divided between the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen and Urban Ministries.

“Hope Not Hunger” was theme of the event. For a $15 donation, patrons  could choose a handmade and signed bowl from the hundreds on display; each bowl was places in a small rafia bag. Guests then sat down to enjoy a meal that included a choice of soup (hearty beef vegetable, vegetarian vegetable or chicken noodle), along with chunky bread, a beverage and dessert.

So many choices...

Over the past few months, volunteers have taken the time to create hundreds of  unique and colorful ceramic bowls for this  event; those bowls were stacked in cases awaiting display for the guests. Four hundred tickets to this event were pre-sold.

Members of the APSU Baseball served as ushers and servers for this event. the sponsor list was a who’s who of local business and government.

Napoleon Smith was new to volunteering; Empty Bowls was his first venture. “I plan to do a lot more of it,” he said, adding that he is looking at several opportunities to put his time and energy to work for others.

Loaves and Fishes Director Susan Chapman

Susan Chapman, director of Loaves and Fishes, noted that the soup kitchen now serves 200 people a day, six days a week, with teams of 5-6 volunteers daily, Monday through Saturday, giving five hours of time to prepare and serve a meal to those who are hungry.

Chapman said the Second Harvest organization has allowed Loaves and Fishes to get items they could not get before. Second Harvest has refrigerated trucks to transport perishable food that needs refrigeration, Chapman explain, something that volunteers in cars cannot pick up and transport.

Sponsors for the event include:

APSU Student Art League, City of Clarksville, Fort Campbell federal Credit Union, Clarksville Association of Realtors, Customs House Museum, United way, Excel, F&M Bank, Q108, Lamar, B.R. Miller and Co. Inc, Legends Bank, Grace Community Church, Loaves and Fishes, Eagle 94.3, Hilldale Baptist Church, Beaver 100.3, Sam’s Club, Longhorn Steakhouse, Hodgepodge, Trininity Episcopal Church, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kasper, Ken Shipley, The Children’s Dentist, The Pottery Room, Evanwood Bakery, United Methodist Urban Ministries, H.O.P.E., Silke’s Old World Breads, Knights of Columbus, Blackhorse Pub and Brewery, Kroger, Food Lion, Forrest Street United Methodist Church, APSU Baseball Team, Jenanie Beauchamp DDS, Party Station Rentals, Mayor Carolyn Bowers, 101st Family Dentistry,  O’Charley’s Riverside Drive, Dan Meadows Construction Company, Phi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Mayor John E. Piper, Nashville Predators, Clarksville Arts and Heritage Council, Total Package Catering, Governor Phil Bredesen, Jimmy Wayne, APSU Health and Human Performance Club, Stone Rudolph and Henry PLC, Sango United methodist Church Women, and the many volunteers who made this event happen.

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