Busy hands help fill "Empty Bowls"

Canajoharie High School Art Teacher Kathy Van Loan and her ceramics class teamed up with area artist Donna Bailey-Mackie to create decorative soup bowls to raise money for the Cooperstown Food Bank. Their efforts were all part of the 2nd Annual "Empty Bowls" Luncheon held March 1, 2008 held at Tunnicliff Inn in Cooperstown.

Empty Bowls luncheons began in the early 1990s as potters in North Carolina sought a way to raise money to support local food banks and soup kitchens. Empty Bowls events are now held all over the United States. Mrs. Van Loan's students and artists from across the region created 270 personalized soup bowls that they contributed to the luncheon.

For a donation, attendees selected a bowl from which they ate. At meals end, each diner took his or her bowl home as a memento of the day. Area restaurants, chefs, caterers, and other sponsors donated soup, bread, coffee, flowers, water, paper supplies and other miscellaneous items. The Tunnicliff Inn donated the use of their dining room and staff. This year's luncheon raised over $4,000.00 for the food bank which serves over 80 families each month.

According to Mrs. Van Loan, "This event allowed our students to use their artistic skills and training to make a difference in their world. Art has always been the hallmark of a great society. I am very proud of Canajoharie High Schools' great, budding potters. I think each of them shares the joy that comes from making a contribution to our fellow human beings."