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Much More than a Meal
CDA has cancelled the Empty Bowls Charity Dinner scheduled for March 13
University News | March 10, 2020
PLEASE NOTE: This event, for March 13, has been cancelled by the Ceramics Designers Association.
Message on the CDA website: "We are very sorry to announce that due to the coronavirus, we have been forced to cancel the event. We are working to reschedule. Please check back for a rescheduled date. If you purchased your ticket through our website you will be contacted with your options for using the ticket at our rescheduled event, considering it a donation, or getting a refund. Our charities greatly depend on your donation. Thank you and we apologize for any inconvenience."
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Guests at the 22nd Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner will warm their bellies with a simple meal - freshly prepared soup and bread. But more importantly, they’ll leave knowing that they’ve contributed to a worthy cause – alleviating hunger in our community.
The 22nd Annual Empty Bowls Charity Dinner will be held in Virginia Wesleyan University's Boyd Dining Center on Friday, March 13 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event, organized locally by the Ceramic Designers Association (CDA), has been hosted by Virginia Wesleyan for 21 of the 22 years it has been in existence in the Coastal Virginia community.
The Empty Bowls project is an international grassroots movement held annually in many communities to help raise both money and awareness in the fight to end hunger. The very first local Empty Bowls Charity Dinner was in 1998 at Holy Family Catholic Church. Needing a larger venue, in March1999, the event moved to Virginia Wesleyan for the first time, thanks to the efforts of VWU Alumna Susan Alexander Mizell '80, who was responsible for bringing the event to the College where it has been an annual happening ever since.
In addition to providing the venue, Virginia Wesleyan also arranges for volunteers for the event and participation from the campus community. Professor of Art Phil Guilfoyle, a member of CDA, has offered January term courses that resulted in VWU art students contributing their handmade pottery bowls to the event. Guilfoyle has also performed potter wheel demonstrations at the event, contributed his works to the silent auction, and donated bowls. Sodexo Food Service at Virginia Wesleyan provides the soups served during dinner, including the exclusive Virginia Wesleyan Chowder, a cream based soup with fish from local waters.
“We look forward to hosting Empty Bowls on our campus each year,” says Guilfoyle. “This event is much more than a meal. In addition to showcasing the talents of local artisans, including VWU students, it brings people together to support local community organizations in raising awareness and money for combatting hunger. Through this annual project, the students are learning a skill that they can apply to help someone else. They can use their talents to support a vital cause and help serve those in need in our community.”
Several other community partners come together to donate their time, talents, and resources as well. In past years, Virginia Beach Garden Clubs have provided flower arrangements for the tables, and local restaurants have provided bread and donuts.In addition, local musicians offer entertainment during dinner.
As in years past, the first stop for guests at the event is the empty bowl room where about 800 handmade ceramic bowls made by local artists are displayed. Attendees search for just the right bowl—one they will fill with soup and then take home that evening. The empty bowls serve as a reminder that around the world, and in our own community, there are bowls that go empty, people who are hungry. As attendees wait in line for soup, they have opportunities to view pottery demonstrations and make their first bids in the silent art auction, comprised of works donated largely by the talented members of CDA. As the event nears to a close, the bowls still available go on sale for attendees to purchase.
All funds raised benefit local charities. Last year donations were distributed to: The H.E.R. Shelter, the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia, the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, Oasis Social Ministries, the Samaritan House and the Union Mission Ministries.
Tickets for Empty Bowls are available in numerous locations throughout the community, including the Scribner Bookstore on campus. Tickets are $25 in advance; $30 at the door.
To purchase tickets, visit the CDA website.
Ceramic Designers Association is a group of local ceramic artists and potters dedicated to clay. It is a diverse group of artists from emerging potters to professionals, that create works of art from the basic elements of earth and water. Their support and participation in local art shows, charitable events and workshops contribute to the cultural life of the Hampton Roads area.