On Sunday, April 14th there is a unique and family friendly event going on at the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge to benefit the Wilton Food Pantry. The event features hand-crafted bowls from the Skidmore College Ceramic Arts students & ceramicists from Saratoga Clay Arts, along with local culinary delights created by Skidmore Chefs and live.
The premise of Empty Bowls is simple: each attendee is able to choose their own handcrafted bowl; fill it with a simple meal of soup, chili and bread; and then take the bowl home after the event, as a reminder of neighbors faced with empty bowls every week.
Advance tickets can be purchased here for just $15 or at the three Wilton branches of Saratoga National Bank. Admission at the door (if available) will be $20.
“Each bowl at this event is a true vessel of hope, the proceeds from which allow the Pantry to purchase 93 pounds of food from the Regional Food Bank,” notes Wilton Food Pantry Board President Deb Zellan.
In addition to the handmade ceramic bowls and food, the afternoon will feature live music by John & Orion Kribs, with special guest, fiddler Doug Moody. A silent auction will be held from 1 to 3:30pm with items including a gas grill, his and hers vintage Schwinn bikes (I have my eye on these!), jewelry, shopping, dining, golf, art and more.
The local community has really pitched in to help for this event, with students and ceramicists crafting bowls, Skidmore chefs cooking the food, individuals and businesses providing silent auction items, local musicians providing music, the media offering promotion, and the Elks donating the space.
“This event amplifies the spirit of the food pantry, which is Neighbor helping Neighbor. Folks are doing what they can to be part of this home-grown solution—strengthening community, volunteerism, generational ties—and working together to resolve food insecurity and provide good nutrition, which makes for a healthier Wilton,” said event organizer and Board member Dennis Towers, whose company, McKinley Griffen Design & Advertising, is providing its services free. Providing families in need with goods and services is the fundamental purpose of The Wilton Food Pantry. Specifically, they supply qualifying individuals and families with a 3-day emergency supply of food (and toiletries when available.)
Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort created by the Imagine Render Group to fight hunger. At events across the US, and in at least a dozen other countries, guests exchange a small cash donation for a simple meal of soup and bread served in a handcrafted bowl of their choice. Click here to learn more about the Empty Bowls Project. I hope to see many of you at this great event, but be warned, I will be bidding high on those vintage Schwinns. xoxo
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Saratoga Springs Edition 