And the Empty Bowls were Filled

Organizers of the Empty Bowls event were hoping to again break attendance records during today at the Racine Masonic Center.

And if the lunch crowd an indicator of their success, they were off to a great start.

Heidi Fannin, a Caledonia resident and business woman, again helped to organize the community to raise funds for the Racine County Food Bank, which delivers over 400 tons of food to people in Racine County in a year. Empty Bowl is Fannin's baby and a year long effort that included many groups and organizations.

To simplify the process of getting your 'empty bowl' filled, you pick out one that you find attractive from the thousands made especially for this event at local schools, artists and organizations. You then take your bowl to the soup area where volunteers ladle up a bowl of soup, which comes from one of the over 50 donations of soups made by local restaurants and individuals in Racine County. This includes Caledonia's Sebastian's, which is not only a soup donor but a corporate sponsor. Now that you have your bowl of soup, you move to the breads. Making your way into the dining area, you are entertained by a variety of  area musicians.

And, if you want more soup... you just get back in line.

Last year this event served over 1,200 people and since its inception, Empty Bowls has provided the Racine County Food Bank with more than $78,000 in additional funding.