Empty Bowls

For the past 4 or 5 years (I think) the Ionia Middle School has put on a fundraiser for local area food pantries called Empty Bowls. This fundraiser also raises awareness of starvation and malnutrition around the world. For a $5 donation, you get to eat a bowl of soup, a roll, and a dessert. You also get to pick a clay bowl that is created by a middle or high school student. Throughout the night they have a live auction, silent auction, and a raffle. The event is largely student-run and organized by middle school students in the Brodcasting and Visual Arts classes. You can read more about their fundraising success here, in Ionia's newspaper. They had a banner year, raising over $2000 in cash! It might sound silly, but I'm very proud of what our community can do when it comes together, and I'm especially proud of the students that made it happen.

Here is the bowl that my brother picked for me. On the outside it looks like your average, everyday,  handcrafted clay bowl...

...but SURPRISE! This little guy greets you when you look inside!