Empty Bowls Raises More Than $5,000 for Local Food Banks

In its second year, the Empty Bowls fundraising and awareness event at Enumclaw High School on Friday raised an impressive $5,100 to support local food banks.

Organizer Diane Anderson told Patch on Monday that mean both the Plateau Outeach Ministries and Kiwanis food banks received just over $2,500 each.

Participants were invited to take part in a simple meal and to take home as a souvenir a one-of-a-kind bowl created by a local artist to serve as a reminder of continued hunger issues around the world.

Patch blogger Doreen Anderson shared many vivid photos from her visit to the event which you can view here. And the Courier-Herald has more.

Mayor Liz Reynolds, a ceramics artist herself who was instrumental in helping to put on this year's event, was unfortunately ill and couldn't make it. On Monday, she shared with Patch:

Once again the gathering of Enumclaw hearts and  community resources came together to assist those in need within our community through a collaborative process involving the Arts….  Culinary Arts, with the fantastic array of soups offered by local restaurants  and visual arts through Green River Community College Pottery students, Enumclaw Arts. Alive! as well as area artists and  graphic artist Celia Bender……. . I would like to say thank you to all involved with this year’s Empty Bowl’s event… our sponsors, the many restaurants, Enumclaw Rotary, Enumclaw School District, Green River Community College Pottery Students, Franciscans, Boy Scouts,  Area Artists , the Empty Bowls committee as well as many volunteers….  And mostly the attendees….. It takes all of us to make a difference and one thing that continues to shine like a beacon in the night. Our community of Enumclaw. Our community is a beacon of light that shines in many , many directions…. To help and to serve .. Best wishes to all.

Artists who made contributions to the event this year include:

Liz Reynolds Enumclaw Mayor, Artist
GRCC Pottery Students:
Susan Evans
Story Gilmore
Thomas Weston
Heather Cornelius
Richard Martin
Gustavo Martinez
Lela Brugger
Michelle Cubing
Ted Stockman
Megan Linders
Greg Gordon
Ed Brannan GRCC Pottery Instructor
Paul Metivier GRCC Pottery Instructor
Lorrie Maras
Nathalie Weyer
Cathy Matson
Lynn Milholm
Lauren Hardman
Kimberlee Wilson 
Lisa Marfa
Sandy LaCkore
Tammie Corley
Marty Wallace
John Leonard
Ed Konvalin
Amanda Skipworth
Robin Conti 

The following area businesses also made contributions to Empty Bowls this year:

Aaron Brenner's Bakery Enumclaw, WA
Arts Alive! Center for the Arts Enumclaw, WA
Cynthia Layer Enumclaw, WA
Enumclaw, Rotary Club Enumclaw, WA
Enumclaw School District, Enumclaw, WA
Grocery Outlet Enumclaw, WA
Hardman Construction, Inc. Enumclaw, WA
High Point Village Enumclaw, WA
The Kettle Cafe Enumclaw, WA
The Lee Enumclaw, WA
Living Court Assisted Living Enumclaw, WA
Nathalie Weyer, The Pottery Shed Enumclaw, WA
QFC Enumclaw, WA
St. Elizabeth Hospital/Franciscan Health System Enumclaw, WA
Skynet Broadband Enumclaw, WA

For more information, visit www.emptybowlswa.org.