Photo Gallery: Empty Bowls Luncheon So Popular They Ran Out of Bowls

The Empty Bowls luncheon was so popular Saturday that there were not enough bowls to go around.

Not to fear. Diners could still buy a custom-made bowl at the Pine-Richland High School fundraiser; they simply need to pick it up later after ceramics students make it.

For the fourth year, the PRHS art department, family and consumer sciences department and Interact Club partnered to host the annual Empty Bowls luncheon in the school's cafeteria and atrium. 

"Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger and was created by The Imagine Render Group," according to its website. "The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls.

"Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity."

The cost for a beautiful handcrafted bowl and unlimited homemade soup and bread buffet at the PRHS event was $10. Bowls sold for $5 each, as did the unlimited soup and bread buffet. 

All proceeds from the luncheon benefit the Lighthouse Foundation's Food Pantry.  The event has raised more than $7,000 in the past four years. 

Because so many advance tickets were sold, diners arriving without a ticket could not pick up a bowl on Saturday. Students quickly assured them that they still could get a bowl, though, as long as they were willing to come back to the school to pick it up.

An assortment of soups was offered -- seafood bisque, beef vegetable, wedding, chicken noodle, to name a few.

"We have a lot more people who heard about it this year, which I am really happy about," Interact Club member Emma Vetter. "It's such a great cause."