Filling the bowls of the hungry and the hearts of the people participating all around the world, Empty Bowls will soon be coming to Marshall County.
Empty Bowls is an international grass roots movement committed to ending hunger and food insecurity across the world.
Empty Bowls specializes in having local potters, craftspeople, educators and others’ work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. After the bowls are crafted, they’re sold at an event for participants to eat from. Participants then take the handcrafted bowls home to remember that there is always an empty bowl out there.
Created by the Imagine Render Group, Empty Bowls went from a simple organization to an international phenomenon in a matter of years, all thanks to the support and involvement of people and students just like Calvert City’s own Victoria Poston, a Racer Academy junior in homeschooling.
“I was at an art program over the summer when I heard about the McCracken County Empty Bowls project and Marcella’s Kitchen,” Poston said. “I’ve always loved art and I knew this was a great time to use it to help people who needed it.”
Poston has been the main force pushing for the Empty Bowls Project to come to Marshall County. Once she started volunteering at Marcella’s Kitchen, Poston got in contact with Michael Terra who coordinated the Paducah Empty Bowls. After Terra helped get the Marshall County Empty Bowls off the ground, it has been building support. Through all of it though, Poston insisted that she was not soley responsible for the event, everyone involved played an important part.
“This is happening because of the many sponsors, volunteers, donors of bowls, donors of food and supporters of this event,” Poston said. “I am honored just to be a piece of the puzzle.”
As most people are already aware, there is a large hunger problem in the world. According to msnbc.com, one in five children in America alone don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
Marcella’s Kitchen is one of many places trying to do its part to stop that.
As a free community kitchen in Draffenville, Ky., Marcella’s keeps its doors open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday to anyone in need of a warm meal. All proceeds made from the Marshall County Empty Bowls project will be given to Marcella’s Kitchen to keep their doors open.
At the event itself, there will be plenty of local restaurants donating time and food for the cause. Consumers will get to use the bowls they crafted themselves, or bought, to eat food from 26 Marshall County vendors.
As a great treat for any basketball fan, the Murray State Racers men’s basketball team has signed bowls for the event. Along with the Racers, there will be two signed bowls by famous evangelist Beth Moore and the Marshall County boy’s and girl’s basketball teams. There will be a silent auction to purchase these bowls, along with bowls from M.A. Hadley pottery and Louisville Stoneware.
To participate in the Empty Bowls project, tickets cost $15. Tickets can be purchased at one of the following locations: Marcella’s Kitchen, WCBL Radio, WKLM Railroad, and Funky Monkey.
Empty Bowls will take place in Marshall County on April 14, in the Marshall County High School commons area from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Additional information about Empty Bowls for Marshall County can be found on their group’s Facebook page, YouTube page or on the national website emptybowls.net.